Heard on MSNBC

[Kari Castor]

Definitely.
I'm mid-20s.  The vast majority of people whom I've heard use that
construction are probably under 30.



On Sat, May 9, 2009 at 12:33 AM, 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:      Re: Heard on MSNBC
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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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> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Kari Castor <castor.kari at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: Heard on MSNBC
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > 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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