CHAT: [CONLANG] [OT] Re: Fruitcakes was Re: Kentum/satem

Peter Clark:
> On Tuesday 30 April 2002 21:01, Jake X wrote:
> > Um... I'm sorry... but being gay I am sensitive about these things. If
> > you're gonna use some term to dismiss someone is wacko (and in this case I
> > agree), try not to use words that offend "x" minority, like the use of the
> > word "n-----" to quote one.
>
>         I don't know on what part of the globe you are, but here
> (Minnesota), "fruitcake" definitely refers to one's mental stability (or
> lack thereof) and has nothing to do with one's sexual orientation.
In Britain too, I think. I'm not sure whether Jake was objecting to
the practise of trying to insult someone by claiming that they are
homosexual -- which unfortunately happens in Britain, albeit only
among the proletariat, teenagers and players of rugby [-- though when
looked at objectively, the traits that generally incur this insult
-- intelligence, gentleness, sensitivity, an appreciation of art,
not being working class, a disinclination to drink alcohol to
excess -- are scarcely ones that one should object to being accused
of] -- but if it was specifically an objection to the word _fruitcake_,
I would point out that in my perceptions, _fruit_, which, though not
commonly heard in this sense, actually does mean 'gay', actually means 'somebody
who is homosexual with a certain flamboyant panache' -- a
meaning that, to my mind at least, is rather complimentary.

--And.