LYT's Weblog

Coulter is not a real human being. She is a grotesque, smug, televised caricature of such. And she is a great success at that she is.

"I'm so ashamed, I can't stop laughing." -- Coulter, in a graphic display of mental illness.

You know, I'm about 95% sure that, like most dramatic explanations of word meaning, is an urban legend. I've also never heard anyone use the 'screaming' variant, and Wikipedia agrees with me, for what that's worth. I'd probably put this with flipping people off coming from English longbowmen showing people their bow-stringing finger or gravestones marked For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

Though it does mean gay. Duh.

I've also never heard anyone use the 'screaming' variant

Dude, MAD magazine used to, all the time. Read their parody of A Clockwork Orange ("A Crockwork Lemon"), to cite but one example...then something they did on Deathtrap...don't remember if it was a direct spoof or a reference to it, but it was there.

If you have an alternate explanation for how it refers to kindling, cigarettes, and gays, let's hear it.

Oxford English Dictionary:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/faggot.txt

Google "screaming faggot" and you'll find numerous examples, btw. I just picked the best one.

That would seem to support what I'm saying, since it says the word developed in America, not in England, lists a bunch of meanings (also insulting ones that were not specifically referring to gays) and, though it did list 'screaming', which I've still never heard, the first cite does not include screaming and indeed only one does.

Etymology
The origins of the word in this sense are rather obscure.

It is often claimed that the derivation is associated directly with faggot meaning "bundle of sticks for burning", since homosexuals were supposedly burnt at the stake in medieval England. This, however, was never an established punishment for homosexuality in England, although, according to one source, those accused of homosexual acts were sometimes doused in fuel and used in place of sticks for the burning of supposed witches.[1] However, this practice ended centuries before the word faggot became associated with gay people. [2]

The word has also been used since the late sixteenth century to mean "old or unpleasant woman", and this would appear the most likely derivation.[3] Female terms, it should be noted, are often used with reference to homosexual or effeminate men (cf. nancy, sissy, queen). The application of the term to old women may be a shortening of the term "faggot-gatherer", applied in the nineteenth century to people, especially older widows, who made a meagre living by gathering and selling firewood.[4] It may also derive from the sense of "something awkward to be carried", an etymology that is more plausible if one considers the use of "baggage" as a pejorative term for old women.[5]

The Yiddish word faygele, lit. "little bird", is claimed by some as the origin of the word. The difference in form between the two words makes this unlikely to be true, although it may have had a reinforcing effect.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_%28epithet%29

(er, the use of the word to refer to gays originated in America, not England)

(If you care why I know, it's because I originally thought this was true after reading some British story/novel or another and finding out cigarettes were called 'fags' and making this connection myself, only to find out it seemed pretty bogus. Also, RPGers tend to spin a lot of nonsense about history (all obsenities are from the forbidden Saxon language, along with the others and more if I really wanted to concentrate) so I look stuff like this up a lot.

It still does mean gay people though. So Ann Coulter is silly.

Man, call me The Burger King. I apologize for my spamming and I'll go hide now.

"screaming faggot" used to be a lot more common than it is now. Chalk that one up to age.

It does sound like a mighty tasty parasol drink though.

What would your ingredients be? Like a Flaming Homer?

well, first something red like grenadine, then some vodka layered on top of that, and finally a layer of blue curacao.

Okay, now you're just ripping off my drink. Which was never better than when it was Safeway brand Blue Rasberry soda, vodka, and Safeway brand red licorice soda. Plus lots of ice to keep the layers separate.

Ok, So you're saying you already invented the "screaming faggot." Got it.

well I just tried the grenadine, vodka and blue curacao. It's not that good layered but it's fine all mixed up. I guess I should leave these kind of things to the professional gay mixologists who work tirelessly to supply our nation's gay bars with ever more potent alcoholic beverages.

That was quick.

The Pepsi Blue/Absolut Kurant/Mountain Dew Code Red version worked well as a caffeine/booze mixer...until they cancelled Pepsi Blue.

A shame that. I love a soda that tastes like lemon pledge and ajax.

My favorite piece of 'faggot' trivia is that the Beastie Boys' 'Licensed to Ill' came very close to being released under the title 'Don't Be a Faggot' until Columbia decided at the last second it might be a bad call.

Holy Pieces of Crap, that is a golden kernel about Licensed To Ill. How might the world be a different place had it came out under the original title? Ridiculous. I guess the Beasties can always claim that they were like, what, 16 years old or something? Coulter will release her solo debut 'Don't Be a Faggot' to the adult contemporary market by mid-summer, better believe it, and I expect that thing to top the charts.

Also, I think somebody slipped me a fag all shermed up last night, it's all I can figure. Talking tables and chairs.

there was once an advert for Brains faggots ( I kid you not, they still exist) that used to read, "Take a faggot home with you tonight" - with a picture of a meatball on a fork - because that name is what meatballs are called in Wales - my American girlfriend at the time (1981) just gasped and laughed when she saw the ad on a big hoarding in Cardiff...

but Luke is right - the name is well established and Ann Coulter trying to change the meaning is just dumb - but what's new - has she ever said anything insightful?