Back on Track with leftover cake in mah fridge

[triedunture]

36016 / 50000 words. 72% done!

Meanwhile, does anyone know the slang term for gays in 1930s America? It is vital that I know this. *serious face*

Cassell's Dictionary of Slang sez:

The terms fag, faggot, fagola, and faggy have been in use since the 1920s in relation to gays in the US.

Also in the 1920s, the word "benny" was slang for a homosexual in the US.

Since the 1930s, "gear" has been used as slang for gay. (WTF? Is that how queer came about? A perversion of the already perverted slang term?)

"Fruit" and all its CRAZY unfunny derivations: standing in for gay since the 1900s.

"Homo" since the 1920s. HOMIE since the 1940s. Originally, homies were gays who wore expensive sportswear. Oh, rap culture. You're so queer without even trying.

"Nance" since the '20s, from the 19th century use of "nancy."

"Pansy" from 19th century to the '20s.

Ah: "queer" or "QUEERVERT" since the 1910s. WTF, 1910?

Well, that was educational.

Comments

[portmanteaux.livejournal.com]

Hello! I'm a passerby who admires your fics, popping up uninvited to comment. :P

I've got nothing to back this up with, but I wouldn't be surprised if "queervert" came about by a combination of "queer" and "invert". From what little of my Victorian Lit class has made it through my wall of daydreams, I've learned that "queer" was already in circulation as a synonym for gay by the end of the 19th century. Additionally, it was about this time that homosexuality was named and medicalized, I think? Everyone writing on it was arguing about what they should actually call their subject matter. "Homosexuality" was the ultimately successful candidate, but "sexual inversion" was another -- hence, "invert".

[portmanteaux.livejournal.com]

Oh bollocks, the interwebs say it's a portmanteau of queer and pervert. There goes my nice tidy theory.

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

That's okay! I had the same gut feeling as you did!

And always feel free to drop in and comment, beloved sideline-sitter. It's always welcome. :D

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Handy book is handy.

I look forward to whatever project it's being used for, heh heh heh.

[savemoony.livejournal.com]

*in awe of your word count*

merry christmas, by the by, and *no* you don't need to bring anything, you just need to sign up.

http://savemoony.livejournal.com/171721.html