Uh, right... because every time someone says something rude you start a street brawl. What planet do you come from? Chances are they'd looked a bit shocked.
Oh, I dunno...
Nor did my comment say that it meant homosexual, exclusively - I ask again: who, in this century, uses gay to mean happy (as a common everyday term)?
This doesn't mean it's not valid usage. And I've seen plenty of modern literature, especially poetry, that uses it in this sense.
However...you're saying the meaning of the word has changed. So am I.
So you're saying (from your viewpoint, lest we forget) that equating gay to stupidity is entirely appropriate?
I'd say so, yes. Of course, equating homosexuality to stupidity is not appropriate, but that's a different issue.
Or are you saying that the 2 have nothing to do with each other and claim ignorance about the slang derivation?
This is the crux of the matter. Firstly, how has the slang derivation actually come about? Not from calling bad things homosexual, presumably, since that makes no sense. But in any case, I maintain that it's progressed long beyond the point where such an origin would have any significance. These days, "gay" can mean "bad".
Galactygon: Pick a word that really insults you. If you can still pull off that trick, kudos to you.
This made me think, actually. I can pick a word that would really insult me if it was used as an insult addressed to me... let's take "bastard" for example. It's not a nice thing to be called if it's indended to be nasty. Written or spoken in any other context, why should I get offended at it, however?
edit: btw, Sim, you're trying to be logical (or contentious, but I choose to believe logical) about this - These things are rarely logical.
Well at least arguing over this is more fun than talking about Neverwinter Nights.