Is it wrong to change the meaning of gay?

[Eudaimonist]

Living languages...must...be...shot!

 

[lighthouse_hope]

Anti choice...against abortion being a choice. Apparently murder now means any sort of killing instead of "an unlawful/illegal killing with malice aforethought"

A wonderful defense for the Nazi courts.

 

[OllieFranz]

Living languages...must...be...shot!

How very French

 

[Mr. Ripley]

Anti choice...against abortion being a choice. Apparently murder now means any sort of killing instead of "an unlawful/illegal killing with malice aforethought"

Murder has been used to describe any sort of unethical killing for a while now.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Murder has been used to describe any sort of unethical killing for a while now.

It carries quite nice negative connotations too. You can really demonize an opponent using the M word these days.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

Nope. It is not wrong. Words change meaning.

And, it is interesting to note the slow development of the word "gay". Which began as being "happy". But gained a connotation with 'immorality' and sexual connotation by the mid 1600s. And the use of the term to refer to homosexuality by the late 1800s, as a slight extension of the sexualised connotations of "carefree" and "uninhibited". And is now changing to mean "stupid" rather quickly, thanks to pop culture and internet, it would appear.

 

[Beanieboy]

Take the word back, Autumnleaf. Take back the rainbow, too. Wear a rainbow shirt and walk around and say, "Hey! I'm gay!' Bring back a few more words. "I'm a dandy!"

 

[flicka]

I love watching language evolve and change.

 

[trunks2k]

I was told that the gay district was centered on Queen Street with a secondary presence in the neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square. Apparently I was misinformed. I apologize.

Perhaps it was a really long time ago. I've never heard of it though, and I used to be fairly active within the gay community in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse Sq area I could see as being a secondary area a while ago though not anymore really. The existing Gayborhood has been around for a very long time with some clubs/bars having been open for 20-30 years.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Take the word back, Autumnleaf. Take back the rainbow, too. Wear a rainbow shirt and walk around and say, "Hey! I'm gay!' Bring back a few more words. "I'm a dandy!"

I'd like to bring back the word knickerbocker but not many other people seem interested. Maybe if we change the name gay homosexuals to knickerbocker homosexuals it will make a comeback and Gaylord can have his name with heterosexual pride again. Any takers?

 

[BenjaminW]

*shrug* Words and language change. Just compare the English of Chaucer or the KJB with today's language. There's nothing morally wrong with language change, it just happens, and has always happened.

Though, in some cases it can be somewhat detrimental. For instance, the loss of the word "thou" leaves English without a difference between a singular and plural second person form. Even worse, are unholy creations like "youse guys" that seek to fill the void that the loss of "thou" has left.

I cry inside any time I hear someone say "you guyse".

 

[Fenny the Fox]

*shrug* Words and language change. Just compare the English of Chaucer or the KJB with today's language. There's nothing morally wrong with language change, it just happens, and has always happened.

Though, in some cases it can be somewhat detrimental. For instance, the loss of the word "thou" leaves English without a difference between a singular and plural second person form. Even worse, are unholy creations like "youse guys" that seek to fill the void that the loss of "thou" has left.

I cry inside any time I hear someone say "you guyse".

"Y'all"

Although that is more an informal contraction for the formal "you all". Still. We don't genreally use "youse guys" or whatnot.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Though, in some cases it can be somewhat detrimental. For instance, the loss of the word "thou" leaves English without a difference between a singular and plural second person form.

Not quite. In the South of America, "you all" fills that role. Of course, we never did take to that in the North.

I'd like to see a return of the word "gal" to more common usage. We need a word other than "girl" to fill the role that "tjej" (pronounced like shay) does in Swedish, to mean a woman of just about any teenage or adult age that can't be confused with little girls, and isn't like "babe", "chick", or other variants that make some comment on looks or dateability.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[lux et lex]

As grammatically horrific as it is, I understand where "yous all" comes from. My grandparents are German and spoke only German at home until they went off to school. The German word "Ihr" is essentially a plural you. It's fairly common within communities that are primarily of German decent to hear "yous" for that reason...poor translation.

 

[BenjaminW]

"Y'all"

Although that is more an informal contraction for the formal "you all". Still. We don't genreally use "youse guys" or whatnot.

Y'All isn't so bad, as it is a contraction of a legitimate phrase.

"Youse", on the other hand...

On the other hand, I've never had to hear an actual person say "Y'All", whereas the people in my rural Ontario county have a horrific tendency to say "youse guys", slowly destroying my soul.

If I heard, on a regular basis, the phrase "Y'All", I might hate that instead.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

Y'All isn't so bad, as it is a contraction of a legitimate phrase.

"Youse", on the other hand...

On the other hand, I've never had to hear an actual person say "Y'All", whereas the people in my rural Ontario county have a horrific tendency to say "youse guys", slowly destroying my soul.

If I heard, on a regular basis, the phrase "Y'All", I might hate that instead.

I say it a lot. Quite a frequent phrase to fall form my lips, indeed.
And I hear it a great deal from others, as well. But, well, I do live in Georgia, so that is not surprising, I suppose. Doesn't get much more "Southern" than it is around here.