Phrases and terminology that needs to STOP! (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

Henry, Yes I have learned to not use it. I guess the reason why it irks me is, I've learned not to use it around straight people. It's my gay friends who don't have any problems with it.

Not is that ironic or what?

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

No, you've hid it quite well.


Bruce

 

[Citizen87645]

Mark, it's the first time I've heard your and your gay friends' understanding of "that's gay" and it's so out of the norm I thought you were trying to be funny. Actually I'm curious now when "gay" for "happy" dropped out of usage. I know for teens today (whom I hear using the "that's gay" phrase the most) that meaning is just not in their heads. I was born in 1973 and "gay" in old songs and such was a giggle trigger even when I was a kid.

 

[David Williams]

I'm gay and I think it's really offensive, right up there with the other f-word. My brother picked the phrase up in the service and he's had a really hard time breaking himself of saying it, although, probably not as much since I've taken to whacking him upside the head when he uses it.

It does not have the meaning of being "That's so happy, it makes me nauseous!" in my neck of the woods. It usually means "That is so weak/stupid/etc. as to be laughable." Just run the phrase through your favorite search engine and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

It's a good thing you aren't friends with my gay friends then because they (and I) definitely have a problem with it.

 

[MarkHastings]

Sorry guys, I always forget that talking on the internet is different than talking to people in person. It's usually a regional thing. Too much NY influence around here.

Like the sunscreen song says: "Live in NY city once, but leave before it makes you 'Hard'..." - Folks are just 'hard' around here and I forget that the rest of the world isn't used to that.

Again, sorry.

 

[John Kilduff]

Do I see a thread-lock coming down the pike?

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

That reminds me...What does that saying mean anyway?

 

[David Williams]

Nothing to be sorry for. My comments weren't a slam on you, just my commentary on what I think of the phrase.

Wouldn't life be boring if everyone had the same opinion?

 

[Ryan Wishton]

I am also curious as to how and when "gay" went from meaning happy to what it means now?

Did this happen fairly quickly? Is there anyone around here who remembers any of this?

P.S. Mark, don't worry about it. I know that many who use it don't intentionally do so to start anything. They just sort of picked it up like "Dude" or whatever else. I just personally don't like the phrase. That's the only reason I brought it up.

 

[Chu Gai]

How about when you go to Home Depot and similar stores and everything is peppered with the terms "Professional Grade" or "Contractor Grade".

 

[Lynda-Marie]

Something else lately that has been bugging me - "dude" and the overuse of "so."

"Dude", perhaps, stems from that stupid new Comcast commercial, wherein one guy is showing off his new Comcast setup and its features. Each one says "Dude!" in a different tone of voice, while subtitles translate what they actually meant. The first few times I saw this, I thought it was clever. Running it every other commercial now has me wondering "What the hell was I thinking?".

"So" on the other hand, is getting a LOT of exercise - "That is, like, SO cool!", "You are SO fired!"

Or maybe I am going to have to face the fact that I am an over the hill grouch who has despised "Valley Girlspeak" ever since it became, like, SO popular in the 1980s, dude.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

As I said I still say 'dude' all the time, mostly when i'm feeling relaxed or happy when I speak or type, if i'm in 'serious mode', I don't use it, I then call upon the more sophisticated side of my brain.

The 80's were my time, so 'dude' is just a relic left over in my head from that wonderful era. And I have Back to the Future to thank for 'Get outta town' which I still use, but very rarely.

 

[BrettB]

Dude. Is. So. Last. Century.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Oh really? Well what about 'is SO last century'?

 

[David Williams]

'Dude' is also a favorite saying of a very popular character who is currently Lost. And who could forget lovable, drug-toking Steve the Dell Dude.

I have to admit I use 'Dude' a lot and have been ragged on by my brothers for it. I don't see the big deal myself. It's better than most catchwords spawned from the 80's (Tubular, Rad, etc.)

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

'Dude' is also the name of one of cinema's coolest slacker's in The Big Lebowski, so I say it with pride..."The Dude abides."

 

[MarkHastings]

I don't see "Dude" as time-specific as "Groovey", "Bodacious", "Daddio", etc. are.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I can remember a bit that Rob Schneider did on Letterman about "Dude" (when Letter was still on NBC). He went through all the different ways of pronouncing the word to create more meanings/uses for the word.

 

[MickeS]

It bugs me when people say "have a great day". It's like it's not enough to just "have a nice day" anymore. Today, someone told me to "have a fantastic day". Oh, OK. I will.

 

[MarkHastings]

How about when people say "Drive carefully"??? As if you were going to drive 300mph down the wrong side of the road?????