They didn’t redefine giving, it’s literally being used for its original definition. Just add “energy” or “vibes” at the end of the sentence and it clarifies exactly how it’s used. If someone sees your outfit and says “It’s giving Beyoncé” -> “it’s giving Beyoncé energy”, your outfit is reminding them of Beyoncé. As in it is providing/offering said Beyoncé-like energy, aka one of the original definitions of giving something.
Comment on I feel old
tyler@programming.dev 7 months ago
At least cheugy is a new word. All these fucking morons literally redefining “giving” and it’s absolutely terrible. It doesn’t sound good. It just makes you sound idiotic and like you don’t know English.
Laticauda@lemmy.ca 7 months ago
tyler@programming.dev 7 months ago
they literally redefined it. It no longer means to ’ : presented as a gift : bestowed without compensation ’ or ‘particular, specified’ or ’ : immediately present in experience ’ they’re using it as “it gives me the energy of” which already HAD A DEFINITION. THAT’S WHAT VIBE MEANS.
That’s not the original definition of ‘giving’ something, i have no clue where you got that from.
Bunch of morons downvoting too, bet y’all saying giving a hundred times a day. fucking idiots.
Laticauda@lemmy.ca 7 months ago
Those were not the only original definitions of giving by a long shot. Another original definition was to provide, offer, impart, communicate, or pass on something, (hence the phrase “giving off” which has been around for a long time, example: it’s giving off radiation), etc. It’s not gen Z’s fault you don’t know all the definitions of giving.
tyler@programming.dev 7 months ago
Yeah if used in that manner you have to put a word after it. Not doing so is redefining it
petrol_sniff_king@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 months ago
mfer never heard of a synonym
Vespair@lemm.ee 7 months ago
I believe giving actually comes from 90s gay/drag culture, and like most of these isn’t really as obtuse as it seems. It’s just word omission. It’s just shorthand for “it’s giving me thoughts of” or “it’s giving me memories of”, basically (okay, admittedly I’m extracted a little bit here).
Here’s an example that I hope helps: imagine your friend or romantic partner comes to you wearing a new tweed jacket they’ve excited about, but all you can see when you look at it is memories of your tweed-clad college professor. You might respond with “i dunno, it’s giving college prof,” which is just shorthand for “I dunno, it’s giving me flashbacks to memories of my college professor.”
Personally that seems a fairly functional evolution of language in the way it always evolves, not the degradation you seem to be finding, but of course I can only offer my own singular opinion on the topic, so do with that what you want