"gay" redux

[Jeff Prucher]

"Gay" is The Falcon's first name; the title of the original story was apparently "Gay Falcon". As to what Michael Arlen was thinking by giving him such a name, I leave the speculating to the speculators. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falcon_%28literary_character%29) Is this another of those formerly male names that have become primarily female?


Jeff Prucher


>________________________________
> From: Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 2:34 PM
>Subject: Re: "gay" redux
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
>Subject:      Re: "gay" redux
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>It's unlikely the screenwriter would have chosen the title. Unlike the
>dialogue, the title would almost certainly have been chosen by the studio's
>marketing department. I find it unlikely that they'd be playing such sub
>rosa games with a film's title.
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
>Jonathan Lighter
>Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 2:16 PM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: "gay" redux
>
>But maybe he's in the closet. Then the title would be the screenwriter's way
>of outing him. Then the title would mean he's gay, even if he's not gay in
>the movie. Then somebody can cite the title as an early ex. of gay.
>
>JL
>
>On Mon, Oct 29, 2012 at 2:06 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: "gay" redux
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---------
>>
>> At 10/29/2012 02:01 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> >I've seen it. He's not gay.
>> >
>> >JL
>>
>> No, I suppose one would not ever call George Sanders "gay".
>> "Debonair", perhaps.
>>
>> Joel
>>
>>
>> >On Mon, Oct 29, 2012 at 1:52 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> > > -----------------------
>> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> > > Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> > > Subject:      "gay" redux
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---------
>> > >
>> > > OK, Jon, you didn't accept "Bringing Up Baby".  What about "The
>> > > Gay Falcon", 1941, starring George Sanders and Wendy Barrie?  (I
>> > > haven't watched it, so all I have is the title.)
>> > >
>> > > :-)
>> > > Joel
>> > >
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