Is actually calling a gay people “gay” offending?

My indigenous vocabulary is German however, I’ve been seeing a lot out-of Tv inside English. Throughout a conversation concerning English words, a question concerning identity gay came up. Are contacting a gay people gay unpleasant?

Definition, playing with «gay» – not from inside the an over-all content (just like the expected in other inquiries) but to spell it out brand new intimate positioning when using it in an effective phrase such as for example:

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The newest adjective homosexual is among the most well-known label, at the very least in the U.S., which can be perhaps not offending naturally. (It can be used offensively, of course, by it while the an insult, if not because a common pejorative – «my personal English group can be so homosexual!» – but new offensiveness is within the implication you to definitely gayness is an enthusiastic insult, in lieu of on the collection of homosexual due to the fact phrase to own gayness. It is also utilized offensively much more subdued implies, like continuously discussing anyone due to the fact «my homosexual buddy», but once more, that’s not tied to the specific phrase gay at all.)

New noun «gay», not, is put just throughout the plural (elizabeth.grams., «making it possible for gays to suffice regarding army»); use in the singular is really rare, and it is difficult to assume whether somebody would need ? «he could be a homosexual» to be offending. (The same goes for a number of other adjectives, including «white» and you may «black»; «American blacks» is alright, ? «the woman is a black colored» isn’t.)