word meaning

shulamis fishbein   Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:12 pm GMT
when did the word gay meaning homosexual come into English language?
greg   Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:25 pm GMT
Apparemment l'acception « homosexuel (de sexe masculin) » serait établie vers 1920. Sinon le mot vient de l'ancien français <gai>, <gay> avec le sens de "joyeux" ou "gai". On suppose que l'ancien français aurait emprunté le terme à l'oc ancien <gai> (sens : "pétulant", "gai") ou serait issu du gothique <gaheis> = "impétueux" (voir ancien haut-allemand <gahi> = "pétulant", "gai" et allemand <jäh> = "brusque", "abrupt").
Rick Johnson   Thu Oct 13, 2005 11:08 pm GMT
Sources show the word gay, in the homosexual sense, dates back to at least the 1930s. It became popular in the 1950s and 60s although the traditional meaning was still widely used in the US. The Flintstones song says "you'll have a gay ol' time" a phrase that is unlikely to be approved for a cartoon today.
Brennus   Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:50 am GMT
I remember Gore Vidal talking on the Dick Cavette Show about 30 years ago and mentioning that "gay" was a slang term for a prostitute in the 18th century. I have also read that the present meaning dates from the early 1900's yet, truthfully, the word was virtually unknown in the American lexicon before the early 1970's. For example, a famous Time Magazine article about homosexuals published in 1966 makes no mention of "gays" but refers to them as "homos" instead. That was the word used by some of the kids I went to high school with during this time too.
jill   Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:28 pm GMT
what language does the word homosexual come from?? any help guys!
Rick Johnson   Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:05 pm GMT
I think the word commonly used in Victorian times was "earnest", hence Oscar Wilde's "The importance of being earnest".