a listener complained that Moyles' ringtone comment last July was homophobic, the board of governors has declared that the word gay "was often now used to mean 'lame' or 'rubbish'. This is a widespread current usage ... among young people"
Language doesn't stand still, but rarely is the irony of semantic shifting so acute: the word was 'evolved' from a fairly innocuous meaning of 'happy' during the twentieth century, but now, presumably by association with the kitschyness of certain high profile aspects of gay culture, it has morphed again ... and yes, I've heard my kids use it that way.
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Tim Lusher on Chris Moyles and the term 'gay': Filed in: gay, word, linguistics, meaning
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