Language change, two demonstrations

[firecat]

1. The adjective "gay" swings wildly from positive to negative to positive
(Original tweet: https://twitter.com/DenpaCodec/status/948397078861955072)
the robot from evangelion
@anildasharez0ne
1998: the teens are calling everything gay
2008: the teens aren't sure they should be really calling things gay
2018: the teens are calling everything gay again, but in a positive way this time

firecat notes that it seems to be working its way back to its 1200s-1300s meaning, "Bright or lively-looking, esp. in colour; brilliant, showy" and its 1400s-and-later meaning, "light-hearted, carefree; manifesting, characterized by, or disposed to joy and mirth; exuberantly cheerful, merry; sportive." (http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/77207 — login required, unfortunately)

---

2. A certain expletive gains acceptability in new contexts.

"Samuel L. Jackson, Patron Saint of ‘MFers,’ Endorses Rashida Tlaib’s Expert Usage on Trump" by Anne Branigin on The Grapevine

Jackson then proceeded to spell “motherfucker” three different ways, because when you’re Sam Jackson, why the fuck wouldn’t you?

Samuel L. Jackson
@SamuelLJackson
@RashidaTlaib I just wanna Wholeheartedly endorse your use of & clarity of purpose when declaring your Motherfucking goal last week.Calling that Muthafukkah a Motherfucker is not an issue,calling that Muthaffuqah President Is!!!#motherfuckeristoogoodtowasteonthatcankersore

[original tweet: https://twitter.com/SamuelLJackson/status/1082097661916954625]

Comments

[duskpeterson]

I watched the old meaning of gay disappear in the 1970s, and I'd be *delighted* if it came back. It's such a nifty meaning; I use it in my historical stories sometimes.

[johnpalmer]

Yes, but having read some old 20th century fiction, I do hope that no one tries to reclaim the use of "to ejaculate" to refer to the *verbal* form.

(Seriously: it's hard to read an old piece of fiction and maintain mental composure when seeing "'My God, it can't be true!' he ejaculated".)

[duskpeterson]

Um . . . you mean that meaning has gone out fashion? (Blushes)