What is a fag? like true meaning why gay people are called that.?

Question

I was just wanting to know what a fag really means... iv heard bundle of sticks "for fire wood", to tire or weary by labor; exhaust, a drudge "a younger pupil in a British public school required to perform certain menial tasks for an older pupil (meaning chores)", a cigarette... how dos this relate to homosexuality? not to be disrespectful as I am gay too =) just wanting to know the true meaning behind why it is used to label homosexuals in a disrespectful manner.

Answer 1

The history of a word is also know as "etymology".

Here is the etymology for "*******":

"1279, "bundle of twigs bound up," from O.Fr. ***** "bundle of sticks," from It. faggotto, dim. of V.L. *facus, from L. fascis "bundle of wood" (see fasces). Esp. used for burning heretics (a sense attested from 1555), so that phrase fire and ******* was used to mean "punishment of a heretic." Heretics who recanted were required to wear an embroidered figure of a ****** on their sleeve, as an emblem and reminder of what they deserved."

and...

"******* (2)

"male homosexual," 1914, Amer.Eng. slang (shortened form f-ag is from 1921), probably from earlier contemptuous term for "woman" (1591), especially an old and unpleasant one, in reference to ****** (1) "bundle of sticks," as something awkward that has to be carried (cf. baggage). It was used in this sense in 20c. by D.H. Lawrence and James Joyce, among others. It may also be reinforced by Yiddish 'faygele' ("homosexual,") lit. "little bird." It also may have roots in Brit. public school slang fag "a junior who does certain duties for a senior" (1785), with suggestions of "catamite," from f-ag (v.). This was also used as a verb."

From here:
http://www.etymonline.com

It's a pretty safe bet that the term evoloved from the heretical sense in the first etymology, combined with the yiddish for "homosexual" (faygele), coined the term "f-ag".


Good Question!
Hope this helps!

Answer 2

The origins of the word in this sense are rather obscure.

One historical meaning of the word fa***t, "a bundle of sticks for burning", is not likely to have been a reference to homosexuals, since burning at the stake was never a punishment for homosexuality in England, making the connection of the two an urban legend.

The Yiddish word faygele, lit. "little bird", is claimed by some as the origin of the word. The similarity in form and pronunciation in English between the two words makes this quite likely to be true, although if not, it may have served as a reinforcing effect.

The word has also been used since the late sixteenth century to mean "old or unpleasant woman", and this would appear to be a likely derivation. Female terms, it should be noted, are often used with reference to homosexual or effeminate men (cf. nancy, sissy, queen). The application of the term to old women may possibly be a shortening of the term "fa***t-gatherer", applied in the nineteenth century to people, especially older widows, who made a meager living by gathering and selling firewood. It may also derive from the sense of "something awkward to be carried", an etymology that is more plausible if one considers the use of "baggage" as a pejorative term for old women.

An obsolete reference from the British 17th-century refers to a "man hired into military service simply to fill out the ranks at muster".

Answer 3

Well your word has been starred out but I think you mean f@g , Or f@ggot if so in Britian it is a cigarette, or a meatball made of minced lamb or beef wrapped in the animals gut lining, in America its a derogatory term for homosexual.

Answer 4

Because in the past not only wood was bundled into faags but so were gay men. they were only used to fire those who were burnt at the stake. This term comes from France.

Answer 5

I think fag means gay gay like the clothes u wear might not be suitable for guyz and how you talk and stare at other guyz.

Answer 6

I believe it had to do with the need for a "bundle of sticks" to start a fire so a "sinner" could be burned to the stake.

Christians are always so nice. Good to know they only physically "bash" us these days.

Answer 7

Gays were so low on Christianity's "crap list" that they weren't even burned at the stake.... They were tossed in as fuel for the fire.
Hence "bundle of sticks used for fuel", ******, being used as slang for homosexuals.

Ah, Christianity, making up sins for us all!

Answer 8

It means a nice sunset.

Answer 9

where do you live..do you have a bf???

Answer 10

I dunno it either.