“That's so gay” is a phrase that is nowadays used frequently among young adults, one might hear it in everyday speech or see it in written form as comments on social networks, in forums or blogs on the internet. In most of these cases young adults do not refer to people that are homosexual but most of the time to things they dislike. But why do they use this phrase so frequently? What was the original meaning of the word “gay” and do homosexuals see this phrase as an insult? In the following I am going to investigate the origin of the word “gay” and what young adults mean when the use phrases like “That's so gay” and how often they use this expression. Furthermore, I am going to deal with the impacts the use of the word “gay” in youth language might have on homosexuals and bisexuals and I will investigate if they feel insulted by this phrase.
I conducted a survey in which 40 participants between the age of 16 and 28, half of them were male and the other half were female, were asked if they used phrases like “That's so gay” and if so, if they use it rarely, sometimes or frequently. They were also asked if they used this expression in a deprecative way and with which words they would equalize “gay” when they use it not to refer to homosexuality. Other questions in the survey were why they use it and if they think that homosexuals and bisexuals feel insulted by the use of the word. I am also going to compare my findings to the findings of other surveys.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Origin of the Word “Gay”
- The Use of the Word “Gay” among Young Adults
- The Impact of the Word “Gay” on Homosexuals
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper investigates the use of the word "gay" in youth language, specifically focusing on its contemporary usage among young adults and its potential impact on homosexuals. The study aims to understand the origins of the word, how it is used in everyday speech, and whether it is perceived as an insult by the LGBTQ+ community.
- The evolution of the word "gay" and its changing meanings
- The prevalence and usage of "gay" in youth language, particularly in the context of "That's so gay"
- The potential for "gay" to be used in a deprecative way and its perceived impact on homosexuals
- The relationship between familiarity with homosexuals and the frequency of using "gay" in a deprecative way
- The distinction between the use of "gay" as a term for homosexuality and its use as a synonym for "lame" or "rubbish"
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter introduces the topic of the word "gay" in youth language and outlines the research questions that will be addressed in the paper. It discusses the prevalence of the phrase "That's so gay" among young adults and its potential for misunderstanding and offense. The second chapter explores the historical development of the word "gay" from its origins in the 12th century to its current usage, highlighting the shift in meaning from "carefree" to "homosexual" and its subsequent appropriation by young adults as a synonym for "lame" or "rubbish." The third chapter examines the contemporary usage of "gay" among young adults, analyzing data from a survey of 40 participants between the ages of 16 and 28. The chapter explores the frequency and context of the word's use, as well as its potential for being used in a deprecative way. It also compares these findings to those of other surveys on the same topic. The fourth chapter investigates the impact of the word "gay" on homosexuals, examining whether they perceive its use in youth language as insulting. The chapter draws on various studies and interviews to explore the perspectives of homosexual individuals and the potential for misunderstanding and offense.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper are: youth language, slang, word evolution, homosexuality, LGBTQ+, deprecative language, survey research, "gay" as a slang term, impact on homosexuals, perception of language.
- Quote paper
- J. J. (Author), 2014, The Use of the Word “Gay” in Youth Language, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/337919