Heard on MSNBC

[Kari Castor]

There's also things like "the sex," where "the" is something like an
intensifier:
Wolverine is the sex = Wolverine is very sexy


But "the sex" can also be used to indicate general awesomeness:
This cake is the sex = This cake is delicious.

Although there is typically some sense of the erotic or sensual even in the
"generally awesome" usage.


I should also mention perhaps that the social circles I typically run in
belong to the broadly-defined "geek" subculture.  Lexicon is strongly
influenced by the internet, gaming, computers in general, sci-fi and
fantasy, comics, etc.

I can't really say whether this construction of "the + noun" is as common
outside of these circles.



On Sat, May 9, 2009 at 12:42 AM, Kari Castor <castor.kari at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Kari Castor <castor.kari at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Heard on MSNBC
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > 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:
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > > 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:
> > >
> > >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > >> -----------------------
> > >> 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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