Anyone who grew up in Australia would know that, according to Marion Sinclair's popular nursery rhyme, kookaburras must have a gay life. Of course in 1934 a gay life referred to the kookaburra's merriment and laughter far different from what we might understand today. Indeed I assume that when my 89-year-old neighbour told my husband he looked "gay" on Sunday she was referring to his bright red jeans as being happy and not to his sexuality. But who knows. Language is fluid and constantly evolving. Right now I feel not just sick but totally sick. Bronchitis will do that to a girl. Now due to a type of slang known as inverted meaning, these days totally sick means awesome. I don't have a problem with language use changing - it always has - but here's my issue. How do you actually convey if it's "totally sick" or "totally sick". Is the kookaburra happy or same sex inclined. And what about those Gaytime ice creams I love so much? Remember that ad "it's so hard to have a gaytime on your own. I suppose not - but I'm not sharing my ice cream with anyone....
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