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I have a random question re another derogatory word

belle204belle204 member
in Parenting
I'm not even sure the best way to word it. I was reading the article about the smoking toddler ... which I just seemed to wild to be true but guess it is. Anyway, they call them f&gs in other countries obviously (as referred to in the article). That is obviously a derogatory term for a homosexual person here so ... I'm not sure if my question is why do they calls cigs f&gs ... or what makes the term derogatory when referring to sexuality (it def doesn't sound like a nice word anyway)? I feel stupid asking that but the post below kind of reminded me. And, I'll complete it b/c what stupid question or statement would be complete w/o the obligatory " I have friends who are gay."
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Re: I have a random question re another derogatory word

  • 4Speedy4Speedy member

    No word is bad or offensive all by itself.  It's the meaning that we assign to it that makes it derrogatory.  In other parts of the world, you can't point around a room and say, "that's a pot, that's a chair, that's a f.a.g (cigarette)" and they are all neutral statements.

    In the US f.a.g. has become a bad/offensive word because of how we choose to use it.  In US culture, we have made it a bad word through usage.  Good or bad, words are only as powerful as we choose to allow them to be.

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  • belle204belle204 member

    Nobody ... ?

    eta: thanks 4speedy. You posted as I was. I suppose I didn't think about it that way. I told you it was a dumb question.

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  • DaiLyghtDaiLyght

    This sums it up pretty well - the use of both definitions, to mean gay and the cigarette:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)

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  • gracendantho26gracendantho26 member

    This is what I found

    As previously stated, it means a cigarette and is short for the term "fag end," which means the butt of a cigarette. And it also means the last and worst part, the frayed end of a length of cloth or rope, an inferior or worn-out remnant or a broken thread in cloth, something that hangs loose. See the Related Link for verification.

    This is all I can find..not much. And I have gay friends and we are haning out with them tonight. :oP

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  • JOEBunnyJOEBunny member
    This insult probably came from the English use of faggot for a boy who assisted a younger boy in school.  England, Fag means a smoke.
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  • belle204belle204 member
    imageDaiLyght:

    This sums it up pretty well - the use of both definitions, to mean gay and the cigarette:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)

    Thanks. I should have consulted good old Wikipedia to start with (I'm lazy).
    Nice pic of Fred Phelps' grandson. They are such as$holios.

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  • belle204belle204 member
    imageDaiLyght:

    This sums it up pretty well - the use of both definitions, to mean gay and the cigarette:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)

    Thanks. I should have consulted good old Wikipedia to start with (I'm lazy).
    Nice pic of Fred Phelps' grandson. They are such as$holios.

    image


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  • BrideofrankenBrideofranken

    I want to take a ride in the f.a.g.bug.

    omg.

    lol.

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  • elm1032004elm1032004
    There are a lot of words that mean one thing in the US and something else in other English speaking countries.  Fanny in the US means your behind, but in England it's equlivant to that derogatory C word.  My SIL, who grew up in England didn't know what to think the first time she saw the store "Frugal Fannys" over here.......
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  • elm1032004elm1032004
    There are a lot of words that mean one thing in the US and something else in other English speaking countries.  Fanny in the US means your behind, but in England it's the same as that derogatory C word here.  My SIL, who grew up in England didn't know what to think the first time she saw the store "Frugal Fannys" over here.......
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  • jettagurljettagurl member

    I think they are totally separate. Apparently f@g is an appropriate, interchangeable term for cigarette( according to m-w.com).  just not common. 

    When used in a derogatory sense, f@g is short for f@ggot, so it's a slang term.  F@ggot's original/true meaning is a servant for a schoolmate, like where a younger male would carry books/take notes for an older male.  I think that's how the slang/urban definition came about.   I think it becomes  derogatory when you are using a word to make fun or taunt someone, and using it out of its true, defined meaning. 

     

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  • belle204belle204 member

    imageelm1032004:
    There are a lot of words that mean one thing in the US and something else in other English speaking countries.  Fanny in the US means your behind, but in England it's equlivant to that derogatory C word.  My SIL, who grew up in England didn't know what to think the first time she saw the store "Frugal Fannys" over here.......

    Poor girl. That reminds me of my friends and I in 7th grade -- we used to walk around saying "what a bum" referring to our History teacher's butt. To an outsider they would have thought we were talking about something else.

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  • 4Speedy4Speedy member

    imageelm1032004:
    There are a lot of words that mean one thing in the US and something else in other English speaking countries.  Fanny in the US means your behind, but in England it's equlivant to that derogatory C word.  My SIL, who grew up in England didn't know what to think the first time she saw the store "Frugal Fannys" over here.......

    DH's boss is from Australia and fanny means the "c" word there, also.  They guys in the office were having a discussion about how to spot an American tourist overseas and someone mentioned that you can spot an American by their fannypack.  The boss was ready to call HR to have an impromtu training on proper work language because he thought they were talking about something entirely different than a purse worn around the waist.

     

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  • 4Speedy4Speedy member

    imageelm1032004:
    There are a lot of words that mean one thing in the US and something else in other English speaking countries.  Fanny in the US means your behind, but in England it's equlivant to that derogatory C word.  My SIL, who grew up in England didn't know what to think the first time she saw the store "Frugal Fannys" over here.......

    DH's boss is from Australia and fanny means the "c" word there, also.  They guys in the office were having a discussion about how to spot an American tourist overseas and someone mentioned that you can spot an American by their fannypack.  The boss was ready to call HR to have an impromtu training on proper work language because he thought they were talking about something entirely different than a purse worn around the waist.

     

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