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?

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 love using the word queer in its original sense. I am 100 percent done with using "queer' as the new fake word for "straight person who wants to be oppressed as if he or she were actually homosexual."

It's very archaic language which would stand out now, which you know full well. You just want to look like a well-read smart arse, but a real smart arse would adapt their language to the times and think about how their choice of word has become loaded through the years. Therefore you are merely an arse.

'Slut', 'slag' and the 'n' word have supposedly been reclaimed but that doesn't mean everyone can go around using them without causing offence or because they historically had more innocent meanings.

@Sagradafamiliar

What were the historically innocent meanings of 'Slut', 'slag' and the 'n' word?

What were the historically innocent meanings of 'Slut', 'slag' and the 'n' word?

If you read some autobiographical accounts of black American servicemen who came over to the UK in WW2, they will give examples of the 'n' word being used completely innocently by the UK population.

I was quite surprised.

Passingcomment note the 'or'
I'm not qualified to give the origins of those particular words, having never had the need to look them up, but feel free to do so.

It's very archaic language

Have you decided this? A glance through some of the responses to this thread suggest that it is far from archaic.

I would never have used the word queer to describe a homosexual person as it means odd or strange so it was quite clearly an insult.

I still wouldn't use it to describe someone's sexuality because it doesn't have a clear meaning, unlike lesbian or gay or bi.

I would think nothing of someone using it for odd or strange.

Queer isn’t pejorative anymore. It is now typically used to describe straight people who want to feel special and have dyed their hair blue. I prefer the words ridiculous or peculiar OP.

I wouldn’t use it to describe a gay person, and certainly not as a noun. I might use it to mean odd, and wouldn’t think much about someone else using it in that way. It’s a bit out of date as a general descriptive word though isn’t it? As a teacher, I do sometimes refer to ‘queer theory’ (when asked if characters in books are gay, usually) and there can be a slight reaction to that.

It might be regional, here everyone uses it in the original sense. It's not generational either, I'm 30 and for me and my friends it's still normal.
The same where I live. It’s not a word used to describe a homosexual person although they would be aware that some in other places do. They’re not stupid, after all, but it just isn’t in their consciousness that way.
I have never, ever heard it used in the way MarleneandBoycie and a PP have described! Had no idea!

Of course you have a perfect right to use it if you want to. But using it simply to make a point is a bit juvenile and tedious.

I’m not going out of my way to use it. It’s just, as I see it, a fairly common word that is part of my vocabulary. I use strange, odd, weird, etc all the time.

One of the joys of English as a language is the enormous number of words in it.

Phone of course it is archaic in the context the OP uses it in.

I think if I heard someone using it I would suspect they might be a “can’t say anything nowadays” type.......

I think it is a bit archaic, but not so archaic to sound ridiculous from my experience and from many on this thread. Given the responses on this thread, I wouldn’t use it in a professional setting (which tends to value very neutral words), whereas in a social setting, with people I know, it seems to be broadly ok

Yeah, right. Of course that's the reason you wouldn't use it at work.

I don't use it now as to be honest there is no need for.
However if my 80 some father used it in the original context I would not feel the need to pull him up on it. But he doesn't so it's not an issue.

I think if I heard someone using it I would suspect they might be a “can’t say anything nowadays” type.......

That’s odd, you would be very misguided. What makes this very different is that the words that the “you can’t say anything nowadays” type use are just using offensive words to describe something in an offensive way. As others have pointed out, queer, coloured, slope, etc are just normal words when used to described inoffensive things.

Of course that's the reason you wouldn't use it at work

Yes, it is, and it’s a bit slangy. Although I suspect I could use it in a social setting at work

No, because I don't live in Downton Abbey.

You do that.

That was to OP, sorry crosspost

I think if I heard someone using it I would suspect they might be a “can’t say anything nowadays” type.......
I can see why you’d think that in a place where it’s used to mean gay, but honestly, I think after a little while in my region you might not because where I live it has a very specific meaning.
It means a man or a woman who don’t follow normal social niceties and are a bit rude. So the first time I heard it, I was saying that someone had been rude to me. The response was, “Don’t worry about him. He’s a bit queer”
And all the other times since, it’s been to describe, basically, the rude arseholes of the village.