To use the word “queer”?

[BowermansNose]

A few times recently I’ve found myself wanting to use the word “queer” to describe something odd or unusual (in the original sense of the word). I don’t know if I’m being influenced by some novels I’ve read of whatever. My parents also have an expression “up Queer Street”.

However, I’m obviously aware of the other meaning that relates to sexuality, and it has had pejorative connotations.

AIBU to use “queer” in the original sense?

Fair enough, then, donquixotedelamancha and apologies if I misconstrued anything - it seems like we're broadly in agreement.

I’m in my 40s and have never heard anyone use this word with its original meaning in conversation.

So am I and I've heard it used lots.

It's geographic. My uncle is always saying things like 'I've come over a little queer' when he feels ill. He lives in a bawdy 1970s sitcom.

It's not all about you, though. Nobody owns the English language.

Yes, it’s best words are not commandeered by particular groups and designated as being for their use only. That’s ridiculous.

Oh, come now, it's a pretty ubiquitous term of abuse. It evolved from not wanting to say someone was gay

I'm pretty sure the use of queer to describe a homosexual predated gay used in that context by some margin. So, I doubt it evolved as an alternative for those unwilling to use gay.

Should that be an homosexual?

apologies if I misconstrued anything

None needed.

I'm pretty sure the use of queer to describe a homosexual predated gay used in that context by some margin.

Fair point. I was being imprecise.

Should that be an homosexual?

I think only if talking to someone with a bawdy 1970s sitcom accent.

It's geographic.

Yes, both in the odd sense and as a homophobic slur.

Despite what a previous poster suggested it was not a ubiquitous slur for homosexual. I grew up in the 80s and heard lots of homophobic abuse but the word queer was not used in my area.

There is a class of, usually highly privileged, persons who seek to eradicate regional variation in the English language by telling, usually much less privileged people, their manner of speech is wrong, stupid, bigoted. They are rarely tolerant in any meaningful sense.

My late gran used it but I haven't heard it used it that sense since

My beloved grandmother (who is long dead and was born in 1903) once said that my DF “is rather queer”. Even in 1980 it was an antiquated phrase. Your post is well written OP; I’m sure you can think of other words to use.

I’ve never heard it used in its original sense outside of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. I’m interested as to where it’s still used.

If some people find it offensive and there’s a history of it being used as a pejorative term (which we can all agree that there is) why would you still want to use it?

Despite what a previous poster suggested it was not a ubiquitous slur for homosexual.

That was me. I would suggest that by the 90s it was ubiquitous enough as a euphemism/slur to be familiar to most people in the UK and US. That does not mean it's the predominant term everywhere.

There is a class of, usually highly privileged, persons who seek to eradicate regional variation in the English language by telling, usually much less privileged people, their manner of speech is wrong, stupid, bigoted. They are rarely tolerant in any meaningful sense.

I strongly agree with this. I think you have to be a bit of a muppet not to be able to distinguish when this particular word is being used appropriately or unpleasantly.

Don't get me wrong donquixote I was vaguely aware it was used as a homophobic slur, it just wasn't used by people around me. Other derogatory terms were, so I wouldn't consider it ubiquitous anymore than I'd consider the American homophobic slur 'fag' to be ubiquitous though I'm aware of how it is used over there if that makes sense.

When I think of queer as a euphemism for homosexuality I think of that as being quite antiquated. It makes me think of William Burroughs. I'm in my 40s and I've never really heard it actually used as an insult or a euphemism, not because I'm totally naive and disingenuous but because by the time I was growing up the euphemism in use was 'gay' and the words used as insults were, well, other things that there is no need to repeat.

As for using it in its original form, I don't actually think that I use the word queer myself, if I do I've never noticed myself doing it. But I do occasionally hear it used and it's pretty clear in the context that it is in that it is not being used to cause offence or to goad or to make a sly comment, it's just being used as a word.

If some people find it offensive and there’s a history of it being used as a pejorative term (which we can all agree that there is) why would you still want to use it?

Because, in the right context, it's quite a nice word. Queer, quiver, qualm. I quite like the sound of it. I'm certainly not saying I go around using it all the time.

I recently read some Somerset Maugham who, ironically, did have homosexual tendencies, and he uses queer a lot. Just looked up Of Human Bondage on my Kindle.

"Miss Wilkinson oddly enough had suggested that they should read Romeo and Juliet together; but Philip had firmly declined. Then, as he put the letter in his pocket, he felt a queer little pang of bitterness because reality seemed so different from the ideal"

"In Brittany he had come across a painter whom nobody else had heard of, a queer fellow who had been a stockbroker and taken up painting at middle-age, and he was greatly influenced by his work".

"It was one of the queer things of life that you saw a person every day for months and were so intimate with him that you could not imagine existence without him"

It’s good to have a higher standard of gf

I recently read some Somerset Maugham who, ironically, did have homosexual tendencies, and he uses queer a lot. Just looked up Of Human Bondage on my Kindle

But that was written in 1915, not exactly recent.

But that was written in 1915, not exactly recent.

But my English is influenced by many sources, and that includes older literature.

It’s good to have a higher standard of gf

@Breathlessness They're not being deliberately goady. They have ventured out of their usual board and using AIBU as a passive aggressive way of spreading their ignorance since most of us have hidden their board to avoid them & their opinions.

But my English is influenced by many sources, and that includes older literature

Scatter much Mark Twain / Huckleberry Finn in polite conversation?

Sorry, I've never read Huckleberry Finn (although I understand the reference you're making)

I am a gay man. If people want to still use the word queer in its original meaning that’s fine by me. It’s such a bore being told to take offence where none is intended.

When I think of queer as a euphemism for homosexuality I think of that as being quite antiquated. It wasn't a euphemism. A euphemism is a mild word substituted for one seeming too blunt, eg "passed away" for "died". It was an offensive term and intended offensively, at a time when being actively homosexual was a criminal offence (a time which I remember too well, including reading newspaper reports of court cases).

I'm pretty sure the use of queer to describe a homosexual predated gay used in that context by some margin. So, I doubt it evolved as an alternative for those unwilling to use gay.
I remember when "gay" started to be used. My understanding at that time it was used in order to avoid the pejorative "queer". So, yes, "queer" as originally used certainly wasn't an alternative to the use of "gay", because "gay" at that time had only its original meaning of happy and care-free.

I would define myself as queer and wouldn’t particularly mind it being used in other ways, but clearly some people do so why not be kind and play it safe?

There’s so much “it’s my right I’ll say what I want” around these days. It costs you nothing to pick another word which doesn’t hurt people.