Slash - OED

[heatherlp.livejournal.com]

Sorry if this is irrelevant, but I thought it was interesting. In 2003, the Oxford English Dictionary revised its definition of the word 'slash' to include that meaning with which we are all so well acquainted. Here is the relevant part of the definition:

slash, n.1

orig. and chiefly Science Fiction. [After the written form of K/S n.] A subgenre of fiction, originally published in fanzines and now esp. online, in which characters who appear together in popular films or other media are portrayed as having a sexual (esp. homosexual) relationship. Chiefly attrib.

Feel free to delete this post if is too pointless.

Comments

[seagullsong.livejournal.com]

Back in 2003? How did I not know this? Awesome. : )

[feanix.livejournal.com]

Ah, we've been recognised...Lovely, lovely, lovely...

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

This isn't pointless at all. You told me something I didn't know and helped validate what we do here.

[feanix.livejournal.com]

Well said, old thing :)

[chaoticchaos13.livejournal.com]

Hear hear!

[random-nexus.livejournal.com]

Indeed, thirded!

[heatherlp.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

[lady529.livejournal.com]

Hehe, this made my day! Night. Whatever X D

The Lady 529

[mrs-rochester11.livejournal.com]

this is awesome! I'm so glad the OED recognizes that definition of slash:) That makes me immearsurably happy:)

[blackletter]

That is awesome! So awesome that I had to go and see it for myself!

I love the OED.

[elmyraemilie.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I feel so...real.

[kakareen.livejournal.com]

Goodness. We are in the mind of the mainstream, officially. Not just in a subtexty 'House' way.

[charie-caphine.livejournal.com]

Whatever do they mean by 'esp.' homosexual?..

[lieka-deer.livejournal.com]

Esp. is shorthand for Especially, so 'especially homosexual relations'.

...which is true, you have to admit! ^.^

[charie-caphine.livejournal.com]

There's nothing 'esp.' homosexual about slash: 'excl.', or something, rather. Now the dictionary in the post below seems to have a much better grasp of things.

[lieka-deer.livejournal.com]

...I have to disagree there. I've seen non-homosexual slash, and the term still applies, as the name comes from the slash between the two names.

[charie-caphine.livejournal.com]

How does the term apply if there's nothing homosexual???

[lieka-deer.livejournal.com]

I just -said-: It has always been my understanding that the term comes from the slash between the two 'slashed' names, for example Jeeves/Bertie, Vic/Bob, Ron/Hermione etc... the slash ( / ) being the thing that is common with them all, nomatter what gender. c:

[charie-caphine.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I think slash has meant exclusively m/m relationships for years and years now.

[lieka-deer.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* I've seen m/m, m/f, f/f fics all over the place, all called slash, but I'm perfectly happy to let it lie! c:

[charie-caphine.livejournal.com]

Oh, I haven't, it's all been pretty much 'juicy slash', 'beware het', like that for me. Finding out new [worthless] facts every day.

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

I just checked my Oxford American College Dictionary (2002) and here's what it says as a def. for slash:

"denoting or belonging to a genre of fiction, chiefly published in fanzines, in which any of various male pairings from the popular media is portrayed as having a homosexual relationship."

So, two dictionaries, both Oxford, with just about the same meaning.