The Word 'queer' Used To Mean 'odd' Or 'eccentric'.

[dave50]

Now it refers to homosexuals. I would have thought the transition of the meaning from 'odd' to now meaning homosexual would be offensive to gays. Perhaps that why this word started to be used for gays, implying that indeed they were 'odd' or 'eccentric' Any thoughts?

[jennyjoan]

LOL Retro you probably got it right.

[Old_Geezer]

Of course that was what it meant. They were odd not adhering to the normal desire for the opposite sex. I'm sure it wasn't used as complementary, but would have been considered accurate. As for offence, that changes from time to time, region to region, person to person. No accounting for opinion.

[Old_Geezer]

Whenever the first use of "gay" to describe homosexual people, was it was brought to the public notice around 1990 when Outrage! and Peter Tatchell was hitting the headlines and upsetting folk named Gay who didn't want their name to be associated with a subject they felt embarrassed about.

[Gromit]

Gay was in use long before 1990.

Tom Robinson sang '(Sing if you're) Glad to be Gay' in 1978, reaching number 18 in the Charts.

I believe the euphemism 'Gay' came from the Ametican Film Industry in the 1930-40s. It may have taken a while to cross the Atlantic, probably reaching us in the 1960s.

[tamborine]

eccentric they are ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK6BQA7dUDs

[New Judge]

I cannot keep up.

It's similar to the use of "coloured" and "black". When I was young we were told never to describe somebody as black. Coloured was the correct term. Then that became offensive and we all had to use black instead. So it is with "queer". A no-no when Peter Tatchell et al were lambasting everybody who used it. Gay was the correct term. Now (and this is the first I've heard of it) it's OK to use again.

[EDDIE51]

The word 'Queer' was in use a long time before the word 'Gay' became associated with homosexuals. Gay used to mean cheerful, happy and colourful. That was well within my lifetime. The question should be when did 'Gay' start to mean homosexual?

[EDDIE51]

See definitions of 'Gay' here
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gay

[dave50]

I thought that 'gay' meaning homosexual was started by Larry Grayson in the seventies who used to say 'what a gay day'.

[EDDIE51]

Definition of 'Queer' here
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/queer
I think reading the original definitions shows how the present meanings came about.

[bibblebub]

The meaning of English words changing over time? Must be awful to be in awe of such things.

[retrocop]

If we are discussing those who bat for the other side I prefer the old phrase Nancy boy.Trouble is that does not describe a female of the opposite sex :-)
I suppose Micky Girl ??

[sandyRoe]

Has 'bowling from the pavilion end' fallen from use?

[beso]

Enid Blyton often referred to Noddy as a "gay little fellow". Sometimes his friend Big Ears would stay over and they would share a bed. He would wake up "feeling a little queer".

[gness]

Isn't this fascination with homosexuality.....interesting......telling.....?

[Old_Geezer]

Is it supposed to be a taboo subject ?

[dunnitall]

Lol beso. For as many years as I know (and that's lots ahem), queer always meant homosexual and we never heard of "gay" to mean the same, so I wonder too when this came into use and perhaps why when the true meaning to me at least used to mean cheerful, excited, happy and light-hearted etc. I didn't think queer was PC now or has that changed?

[EDDIE51]

Sandy I thought it was 'Bowls from the gas works end' a reference to Lords cricket ground, where a well known 'Gay' pub was located near the Gas Holder that could be seen in the background behind the stands.

[sandyRoe]

'The gasworks end' could be read in more than one way.