You know what sounds weird?

[UdoKier]

When people say "a gay".

Like, "Did you hear about Roger? They say he came out! I've never known a gay personally."

It sounds weird when people say "a black", too.


Why do people say that?

[progmom]

1. I agree.

I have never understood that.

[kick-ass-bob]

2. its to put them down.

from dictionary.com:
Used before nouns and noun phrases that denote a single but unspecified person or thing


and it takes out the "person" part of it. So they are unspecified (not worth specifying) and not quite a person.

[sui generis]

3. yes, as normal as saying a "straight"

that's okay, teeth brush tooth brush, tomayto, tomahto

anybody who informs on the topic will sooner or later refine their speech. It is probably awkward to people who don't have a rule book, so I cut 'em all slack.

[Bouncy Ball]

4. My friend's mom, who is in her 70s, has a computer now

and she calls the whole internet "the email."

It cracks me up.

[UdoKier]

5. My Grandma (RIP) turned 80 in 1988

She used to tell me horror stories about "the gypsies" who used to come through town from time to time. She used the terms "colored" and "nigras" interchangeably, and I do believe she considered herself to be enlightened.

She told me on numerous occasions how in confederate times, the slaves were treated very well...


Gotta love the old folks...

[sui generis]

6. yeah - my American grampa told me all about the injuns

and how they would sneak up and tomahawk you in the head in the middle of the night so they could sew up their teepees made out of human scalps.

bastard. scared the crap out of me. but when he was dying of cancer in the hospital he told my grandmother that the purple lizards were trying to jump off the wall and kill him, and could she please smash them . . . and then he would giggle like a little kid when she turned around and started smashing invisible purple lizards with the hospital room bible.

She thought it was a hoot when she found out - good to have a laugh to remember when the hour is dark.

[ghostsofgiants]

8. That's hilarious (the purple lizard thing)

Messing with people like that when you're dying would be pretty easy I think, since they're willing to do pretty much anything you ask, haha.

[terrya]

7. My grandmother used to talk about "the coloreds" all the time.

My mom's mom. It was "the coloreds" this and "the coloreds" that. She'd say the most horrid things. Probably because my grandmother was an absolute, grade A bitch.