words changing over time
 

Gay
meant carefree, happy, or bright and showy

Artificial
This originally meant ?full of artistic or technical skill?. Now its meaning has a very different slant.

Nice
This comes from the Latin ?not to know?. Originally a ?nice person? was someone who was ignorant or unaware.

Awful
This meant ?full of awe? i.e. something wonderful, delightful, amazing. However, over time it has evolved to mean exactly the opposite.

Brave
This once was used to signify cowardice. Indeed, its old meaning lives on in the word ?bravado?.

Manufacture
From the Latin meaning ?to make by hand? this originally signified things that were created by craftsmen. Now the opposite, made by machines, is its meaning.

Counterfeit
This once meant a perfect copy. Now it means anything but.

Prove

This once meant a perfect copy. Now it means anything but.

Prove
Originally this meant to test. The old meaning survives in the phrase ?proving ground?.

Tell
Its original meaning was ?to count?. Which is how we came by the term ?bank teller?.


I started thinking about some old porn things and Phone Sex meant talking dirty on the phone, with new cell phones, it has a new meaning, because Phone sex might be the usage of HD video POV in the bedroom?

Gone through more than one mutation, from that to homosexual, and now to meaning something is shit.

There was a program on the radio a while ago called When Bad Means Good that was about the confusion caused to foreigners coming to England who only know the original meanings of words.

I'm glad someone else gets that. I see these fucking commercials on TV from some organization called ThinkB4YouSpeak. One has Hillary Duff and another has Wanda Sykes ripping into some kids for calling something "gay."

Because it's not possible for words to evolve and change meanings. :disgust

I wonder how the people who used the word gay to mean "happy" felt when it came to mean homosexual?

That would have been interesting to see...

Man comes home from work, happy to have received a promotion.

Wife greets him: "Hi Honey, how are you?"

Man: "Well dear, I'm quite gay."

Wife: "What? When did you start sucking cock? Is that why you never want to have sex anymore?"

Man: "Huh? What the hell are you talking about? I meant I'm happy. I got a promotion at work today."

Wife: "Oh, so you're sucking your boss's dick? Gotta make that money, I guess."

Man: :Oh crap :helpme

I agree, gay means lame now.

I post the BEST thread breathers

http://i.interes.hr/images/hmcO.jpg

I remember going to Austrailia and being told a few things not to say, like asking for a napkin or rootng for the home team

neckbeard still means neckbeard.

girl: 1300, gyrle "child" (of either sex), in north texas and southern oklahoma cock is a trem for pussy

You are doing god's work.

Never knew most of those. Learn something every day... :winkwink:

Back to the word gay: It actually sucks when you have to feel bad saying "that's gay" or worry if homosexuals in the vicinity are going to get offended and "be all gay about it".

Redefinition has it's merits.

Yeah, I've been trying to be politically correct lately, it's fucking annoying.

I've always lived by if you want Sympathy, look in the encyclopedia between Shit and Syphilis because I don't have any.

what do you mean napkin that does not mean anything here

In Austrialia, you ask for a serviette, a napkin is a tampon. At least thats what they told us before we got off the ship, try to keep us out of fights, it never worked though

im Australian and ive never heard of this

Gay hasn't changed from its original meaning. What do you think "gay abandon" means? Or "gay Paris"? What do you think the Flintstones mean when they have a "gay old time"?

The Flinstones was made in the 60's, before the sexual revolution and before the "gay" took on the homosexual meaning. I doubt anyone would use the phrase "gay old time" anymore to describe a fun time. Unless their idea of a fun time is a 20 man suckfest.

"Gay Paris..." who the fuck says that? I've never heard it before and have no idea what the fuck it means. My assumption would be along the stereotype of French being sissies/fags/homos.

And "gay abandon.." the only time I've heard that phrase is in the GWAR song "King Queen." And it totally is used in a homosexual manner:

One thing that I know:
That everywhere I fucking go
People writhe with piles of corpses,
Rotting on there down below.
And they all beg forgiveness.
And so you know I will give them this.
Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!

Living in the future now,
Y'know I'm moving much too fast.
I feel like I'm dying
even though I'm living in the past.
And this immortal coil
You know that it will always last.
And now I think I'll have to sing
about the death and horror that I bring:

Gay apparel
I put it on, put it on
Sucking the marrow.
And as you die I sing this song.
Oh! How shocking, how dare you.
Dare to die before I'm through.
Supposed I'll have to resurrect you
And bathe your bowels in boiling spew.

Now its time, almost time.
Now its time to...

I'm gazing at your broken form, I'm feeling lost and so forlorn
Another death, another mess, another shroud I have worn
Another grave that I begin, another box you'll soon be in
I consecrate this lovely hate, but still
You're looking kinda thin!

With much, ga-ay abandon...

King Queen,
King Queen, its so obscene. (x2)

Infinite ruin!
Man falls down.
Look at me spewing.
You begged me to come to this town.
When your clubs crushed and you friends are dead,
Then you'll remember just-a what I said:
I'm the qeeniest being that there ever has been.
Dare you tempt the wrath?
The wrath of old King Queen?

Now it's time, almost time.
Now it's time to die!

When your clubs crushed and your friends are dead,
Then you'll remember just-a what I said: (x2)
I'm the queenliest being that there ever has been (x3)
Dare you tempt the wrath?
The wrath of old King Queen?

Crush you like bug - Smash steel and stone.
Obliterate, dominate. Call this planet home.

King Queen.
King Queen. (x3)


So what was it you were saying about "gay" again? :)

:1orglaugh

Isn't it obvious? swap the word "gay" for "fun" and you have your answer.

Its a new one for me as well.

Rooting for the other side is a good one though.... :1orglaugh:1orglaugh

In Australia, a "napkin" is a women's sanitary product. In America, it's a piece of paper or cloth you use to wipe your face and hands when you eat. Ask for a "napkin" at an Australian restaurant... heheheheh.
http://www.hintsandthings.com/library/language.htm

It's not obvious to people who think the word has changed its meaning.

I don't think it is in common usage any more. Or possibly used in some states and not others.

Having a good root is universal in Australia and New Zealand though.

My ship landed in HMAS Sterling, Close to Perth and that was 1980.