'mo = homo

[Laurence Horn]

At 6:29 AM -0800 3/9/04, Ed Keer wrote:
>I remember using 'mo at least in the early 90s. But it
>was always used in the phrase 'big 'mo.' This was in
>Philly, NJ, and NYC.
>
>Ed

Is that for [ho]mo, or mo[mentum]?  The latter has certainly been
around in a sports context for a while.  (I'm assuming, given the
region, that it wasn't being used to designate "The Big Mo[rmon]",
presumably Sean Bradley of BYU fame.)

larry horn

>
>--- David Bowie <db.list at PMPKN.NET> wrote:
>>  From:    Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
>>
>>  : I recall 'rents (and 'za) from my American
>>  undergraduate days a few
>>  : years earlier (1981-85). There was no association
>>  with gay subculture. I
>>  : recall 'mo as a insult from my high school days.
>>  It was not as common
>>  : as 'rents was a few years later.
>>
>>  I don't recall 'mo as an undergrad (late 80s/early
>>  90s, MD and western PA),
>>  but I heard but didn't use 'rents.
>>
>>  When I was at Brigham Young U (1999-2003), Mo was
>>  occasionally used by the
>>  students (in a sort of in-group, joking way) as
>>  short for "Mormon" (the
>>  student body there is about 98.6% Mormon, according
>>  to the shool's website).
>>  I always thought this was a fascinating clipping,
>>  since (like 'za) it's
>>  based entirely on orthography, not pronunciation.
>>
>>  David Bowie
>>  http://pmpkn.net/lx
>>      Jeanne's Two Laws of Chocolate: If there is no
>>  chocolate in the
>>      house, there is too little; some must be
>>  purchased. If there is
>>      chocolate in the house, there is too much; it
>>  must be consumed.
>
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