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Who said "Die gedunken sind frei"? Clarityfiend 01:25, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
I'm looking for a word or phrase. It is the process of reclaiming or modifying an insult so that it is no longer an insult. For example, 20 years ago it would be an insult to call somebody "gay" or "queer." Today the gay community embraces both of those terms, they have rehabilitated the terms to make them into positives. The black community has done this, to a certain extent within their own ranks for the "n-word." Rednecks, Goths, Geeks, Nerds, treehuggers all used to be insults, but are now embraced by their communities. I remember studying this phenomenon, but I can't remember what it is called. Does anybody have any idea?
Also, I'd love some better examples... I'd love to have some terms that 50+ years ago were insults, but today are accepted as positives. Balloonman 05:35, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
How about " bugger" ? StuRat 17:19, 9 December 2006 (UTC)
What is the origin of the phrase Do it yourself (DIY)? -- Ppk01 15:00, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
The brackets around all but the last indicate that these are considered fortuitous and anterior to its real "entry into public consciousness" and the lexicon. By 1954, it's obviously on people's lips, with the New York Herald Tribune referring to "do-it-yourselfism" and the N.Y. Times referring to the "do-it-yourselfer." So my answer would be, apparently 1952. Wareh 16:50, 8 December 2006 (UTC)[1616 T. DRAXE Bibliotheca Scholastica 163/1 If a man will haue his businesse well done, he must doe it himselfe. 1693 W. PENN Some Fruits of Solitude (ed. 2) 66 Have but little to do, and do it thy self. a1845 BARHAM Ingol. Leg. (1905) 288 If it's business of consequence, Do it yourself! 1925 D. BEARD (title) Do it yourself. A book of the big outdoors. 1949 Here & Now (N.Z.) Oct. 17/3 Husbands who have been brought up in the do-it-all-myself tradition of the previous generation.] 1952 Time 30 June 45/3 Do-it-yourself has brought similar gains, and market shifts, to other industries.
OED is not reliable for finding earliest citations: it is only now being updated to employ modern search methods. I have uncovered this 1930 cite for "do-it-yourself", which you can verify through a search of Google's News-archives:
Is "black mark" considered a racial term? For example "I have a black mark on my academic record". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 134.121.31.45 ( talk) 18:01, 8 December 2006 (UTC).
Second THB. martianlostinspace 19:10, 11 December 2006 (UTC)
Hi,
I want to know a specific term used to describe the same made by clapping two fingures, usually made by clapping Thumb and Middle fingure
Please let me know the answer
Thanks and Regards, Vivek. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 59.93.56.166 ( talk) 22:51, 8 December 2006 (UTC).
Language desk | ||
---|---|---|
< December 7 | << Nov | December | Jan >> | December 9 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
Who said "Die gedunken sind frei"? Clarityfiend 01:25, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
I'm looking for a word or phrase. It is the process of reclaiming or modifying an insult so that it is no longer an insult. For example, 20 years ago it would be an insult to call somebody "gay" or "queer." Today the gay community embraces both of those terms, they have rehabilitated the terms to make them into positives. The black community has done this, to a certain extent within their own ranks for the "n-word." Rednecks, Goths, Geeks, Nerds, treehuggers all used to be insults, but are now embraced by their communities. I remember studying this phenomenon, but I can't remember what it is called. Does anybody have any idea?
Also, I'd love some better examples... I'd love to have some terms that 50+ years ago were insults, but today are accepted as positives. Balloonman 05:35, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
How about " bugger" ? StuRat 17:19, 9 December 2006 (UTC)
What is the origin of the phrase Do it yourself (DIY)? -- Ppk01 15:00, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
The brackets around all but the last indicate that these are considered fortuitous and anterior to its real "entry into public consciousness" and the lexicon. By 1954, it's obviously on people's lips, with the New York Herald Tribune referring to "do-it-yourselfism" and the N.Y. Times referring to the "do-it-yourselfer." So my answer would be, apparently 1952. Wareh 16:50, 8 December 2006 (UTC)[1616 T. DRAXE Bibliotheca Scholastica 163/1 If a man will haue his businesse well done, he must doe it himselfe. 1693 W. PENN Some Fruits of Solitude (ed. 2) 66 Have but little to do, and do it thy self. a1845 BARHAM Ingol. Leg. (1905) 288 If it's business of consequence, Do it yourself! 1925 D. BEARD (title) Do it yourself. A book of the big outdoors. 1949 Here & Now (N.Z.) Oct. 17/3 Husbands who have been brought up in the do-it-all-myself tradition of the previous generation.] 1952 Time 30 June 45/3 Do-it-yourself has brought similar gains, and market shifts, to other industries.
OED is not reliable for finding earliest citations: it is only now being updated to employ modern search methods. I have uncovered this 1930 cite for "do-it-yourself", which you can verify through a search of Google's News-archives:
Is "black mark" considered a racial term? For example "I have a black mark on my academic record". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 134.121.31.45 ( talk) 18:01, 8 December 2006 (UTC).
Second THB. martianlostinspace 19:10, 11 December 2006 (UTC)
Hi,
I want to know a specific term used to describe the same made by clapping two fingures, usually made by clapping Thumb and Middle fingure
Please let me know the answer
Thanks and Regards, Vivek. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 59.93.56.166 ( talk) 22:51, 8 December 2006 (UTC).