Heard on MSNBC

[Herb Stahlke]

I'm guessing that you're a bit younger than I am.  Is this a
generational or an age-graded usage?

Herb

On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 9:34 PM, Kari Castor <castor.kari at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Poster:       Kari Castor <castor.kari at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Heard on MSNBC
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>
> I don't know about the relative newness, but it's quite a common usage among
> the people I know.
> the hiv (for this type of usage, HIV is typically pronounced phonetically,
> not spelled out) - as in, "Don't touch Paris Hilton; you'll get the hiv."
> the stupid - as in, "That guy has a bad case of the stupid."
> the ugly - as in, "Lucky that kid didn't catch the ugly from his parents."
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 8:12 PM, Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at gmail.com> wrote:
>
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Heard on MSNBC
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Rachel Maddow frequently uses the phrase "the gay" derisively of
>> people, usually conservative Republicans, who think homosexuality is
>> an acquired behavior.  This evening Keith Olberman used "the funny" in
>> a similar way when talking about whether Obama would be humorous at
>> the Correspondents' Dinner.  Is this use of "the" + adjective a new
>> pattern?  Obviously "the" + adjective is a common construction that's
>> been around a long time as in "The difficult is done at once; the
>> impossible takes a little longer."  It's this derisive or ironic use
>> of the construction that feels new.
>>
>> Herb
>>
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