"poser" (before 1990?)

[Jonathan Lighter]

My thanks to all seven list members who replied so helpfully to my query about "poser."

The early exx. appear to be unquestionably standard English, and similar current exx. are no doubt findable.

The S.E. "poser" strikes an intellectual attitude. The slang "poser" is essentially an obnoxious outsider with no real connection with the social trend or activity he's currently aping.  Contemporary usage is also strongly associated with youthful or "countercultural" activities.

The distinction may be, I admit, a fine one.

JL
Ed Keer <edkeer at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Ed Keer
Subject: Re: "poser" (before 1990?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I used it in the early 80's. There was a very
important poser/punk dichotomy then. A good place to
look for American cites is the fanzine Maximum
Rockn'Roll. Unfortunately I can't find any online
sources.

It seems to me that punk fanzines could be a great
place for all sorts of research. For example, you
could probably find mullet in them easily. If only
there were searchable collections online.

Ed

--- Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> Was anybody using the teenage term "poser" before
> 1990? That's the earliest date I've found on Usenet.
>
> A "poser," for those who in the dark, is a shallow
> but usu. self-assured show-off with only a faddish
> interest in some popular activity, social group,
> musical style, consumer durable, etc.; a "poseur,"
> more or less, but in less refined circles.
>
> JL
>
>
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