gay definition

Discussion in 'Linguistics' started by mathman, Mar 7, 2019.

  1. mathman Valued Senior Member

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    In on old (1968) dictionary, the primary definition of gay was joyous, while homosexual was a slang alternative. These days the slang definition seems to have taken over and the old meaning seems to be gone. How did this happen?
     
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  3. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    We found out that homosexuality is a harmless sexual orientation to society and everyone loves an outrageously gay party.

    Homosexuals often throw very gay drag parties with prizes for best costumes and lots of cheer and applause. My boss took me to a drag party once and gave a FYI about my sexual orientation (straight) .

    I had a great time, even danced with some very nice "ladies". The costumes were outrageous, feathers, bows, poms, 6" heels. It was definitely a "gay" party......

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  5. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    Don we now our gay apparel, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lah....

    The designations in use previously (fruit, fairy, pouff, queer, pansy, etc.) when homosexuals were routinely jailed and beaten for no crime except being themselves, didn't seem propitious. A new designation had to be chosen. That word wasn't much used for anything else and wasn't tainted.
    You don't need it back.
     
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  7. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Yankee Doodle went to town.....
    Actually it is the would be aristocracy who fostered the "gay" myth.

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    "The Macaroni. A real Character at the late Masquerade", mezzotint by Philip Dawe, 1773
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Doodle

    Must have been a lot of "gays" in those days.......hard to tell the difference........

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  8. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    circa 1961
     
  9. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    In To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, three drag queens (Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo) bring color (gaiety) to a very drab town.
     
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  10. billvon Valued Senior Member

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    Are you asking how words change? Over time people repurpose them, and eventually the new use is added to the dictionaries.
     
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  11. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    This.
     
  12. mathman Valued Senior Member

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    My original question was more about how the old usage seems to have disappeared, like in the Christmas Carol "Deck the Halls with Bows of Holly", or "gay Paree".
     
  13. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    RAP came along......sorry........

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  14. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    It hasn't disappeared, it is just less common.
    Furthermore, gay used to mean a number of things over the ages, from joyous, to hedonism, to sex in general (brothels were sometimes referred to as gay houses, irrespective of what orientation).
    In the early/mid 20th century those interested in same sex activity started to use the word gay as it would allow them to talk about it without others necessarily realising what was being talked about.
    Sort of a code word.
    When the movement to decriminalize the activity started to grow in the 60s, the word gay became a word that they used with pride to describe themselves, and it thus became more widely and strongly associated with homosexuality.
    Usage in this context overtook other usage, possibly/probably as a direct result of people wanting to avoid words that had this alternative meaning, and to avoid unwanted association.
     
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  15. RainbowSingularity Valued Senior Member

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    culture adopts differences to determine its own sense of value.

    culture its self is no different to a human going from baby to adult

    self actualization of culture as a living intellectual being is equal to its value attenuated by those that propagate & cultivate it.

    if you wish to look for a polar black vs white contrast to the nature of dualism ideology, look to religion that excludes other cultures.

    it is impossible to separate ideological philosophy from linguistics because the philosophical ideology drives the language through its culture.
     
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  16. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    I am sorry for attacking you. I have nothing against you.
    It's this place. It brings out the mean in people.
     
  17. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    I would think the homophobia obvious.

    For instance, calling a man gay has, in my lifetime, been fighting words.

    • • •​

    That is by design.
     
  18. RainbowSingularity Valued Senior Member

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    pondering perspectives of awareness...(& variant realities of sedentary perspectives)

    the law of diminishing returns as an over bearing requirement of self justification of the self to form a normative equilibrium of qualitative 'risk or value subjectivity' to the self.

    "where did it all go?! it suddenly disappeared!?! and i wasn't doing anything so its not my fault & i cant be sued!"

    that is a very current American cultural issue.

    ideological conservatist minimalist intellectual justification of pro-active ignorance ?

    ... "how did women suddenly get the vote and then demand men should have to put up with equal rights when i wasn't even trying to attack women in the first place?"

    ... why am i being forced against my freedom to choose, to legally agree with gay people !?!

    intent/content/interpretation/inferred meaning by omission ... all very common forms of linguistic communication
    subject clarity is quite important
     
  19. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    A wonderfully human movie;
     
  20. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    No, not by design. By intention. And not unanimous.
     
  21. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Do you even have a clue what you just said?
     
  22. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    I do.
    'By design' would mean the designers intended it to be like this.
    'By intention' is when some people promote their own agenda.
    There's a difference.
     
  23. kx000 Valued Senior Member

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    Im straight but dream is to marry a bisexual female and have free love.
     

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