Heard on MSNBC

[Benjamin Zimmer]

In Maddow's usage, I think it originated in a segment last October
lampooning Sen. Kit Bond talking about "the gay":

http://www.truveo.com/Maddow-The-gay-is-not-the-measles/id/653323870


On Sat, May 9, 2009 at 1:49 PM, Alice Faber <faber at haskins.yale.edu> wrote:
>
>
> Perhaps in origin. But on at least one of the forums I participate in,
> participants will talk about "having teh sex" (or "teh sexx0rs"). And
> those who *do* use "teh gay" in a way that can be interpreting it as
> "something you can catch" are generally mocking (and rather viciously!)
> the attitude that gayness is contagious.
>
> Alice
>
> ronbutters at AOL.COM wrote:
> > In other words, "the gay" and "the ugly" are thought of as akin to diseases, like "the plague." HIV is also the name of a disease, but it does not usually take the definite article among sophisticated speakers. Phrases like "catch the ugly" are not satirical, just current buzz.
> > In that sense, "catch the gay" and "catch the ugly" are somewhat exceptional.
> > ------Original Message------
> > From: Alice Faber
> > Sender: ADS-L
> > To: ADS-L
> > ReplyTo: ADS-L
> > Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Heard on MSNBC
> > Sent: May 9, 2009 11:34 AM
> >
> > Herb Stahlke wrote:
> >> 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.
> >
> > It's been around in the blogosphere for a while now. For purposes of
> > googling, the spelling would be "teh gay" or "teh ghey".
> >
> >
>
> --
> ========================================================================
> Alice Faber                                       faber at haskins.yale.edu
> Haskins Laboratories                            tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
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>
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