I had an argument today with someone that the word disrespect was not a verb (although it was used as such in the hip-hop music community: “he disrespected me”) and then she pointed out that according to the definitions on Websters.com it could be used as a verb.
When did disrespect become a verb?!
I think it has always been both a verb and a noun. It’s basically just the verb “respect” with a perfectly acceptable prefix attached. It has just become more prevalent lately what with all the people feeling disrespected everywhere. The real question is, when did everyone start feeling disrespected. Seriously, we keep seeing pro athletes fighting because they feel disrespected, rappers shooting eachother over disrespect, various groups suing eachother over feeling disrespected. When did all that start?
Where my disrespect at?
Now you have a pronoun.
As pointed out above, why wouldn’t it be a verb if respect is a verb as well? It’s definitely not something new.
As pointed out above, why wouldn’t it be a verb if respect is a verb as well? It’s definitely not something new.
I don’t know how old you are, but I’m 45, well read and in fairly good command of the English language and I hate to tell you that it is new. Regardless of the fact that it’s been in existence since the 17th century (as have many other words not used today), it was not commonly used until recently when it was revived by the hip-hop community. Now, you can’t watch MTV or ESPN without hearing it.
I have several dictionaries (circa 1963-2001) and it’s not a verb in any of them, but apparently it has become one recently… but that’s the nature of our language, and I guess language in general: it evolves.
Disrespect is one of my pet peeves – I had thought the proper thing to say in most cases would be “you showed me disrespect” or even “you were disrespectful to me.” I think I am more bothered by the constructions people make with it than its actual use as a verb.
However, if we’re kickin’ it real old skool, the OED tells us:
disre
spect, *v.*DIS- 6 + RESPECT v.]
trans. The reverse of to respect; to have or show no respect, regard, or reverence for; to treat with irreverence.
1683
1633
161417061885
1852
1614 WITHER Sat. to King, Juvenilia (1633) 346 Here can I smile to see…how the mean mans suit is dis-respected. 1633 BP. HALL Hard Texts N.T. 11 If he love the one he must disrespect the other. 1683 CAVE Ecclesiastici 231 (Basil) To honor him, and dis-respect his Friend, was to stroke a man’s head with one hand, and strike him with the other. 1706 HEARNE Collect. 26 Apr., He was disrespected in Oxford by several men who now speak well of him. 1852 L. HUNT Poems Pref. 27 As if…sorrow disrespected things homely. 1885 G. MEREDITH Diana I. 257 You will judge whether he disrespects me.
Hence disre
spected ppl. a., -ing vbl. n.
1640
163117911876
1631 GOUGE God’s Arrows i. §45. 75 A dis-respecting, despising, and vilifying of Gods mercies. 1640 H. GLAPTHORNE Ladies Privil. IV. Wks. 1874 II. 140, I meane not…To save a dis-respected life. 1791 PAINE Rights of Man (ed. 2) I. 101 Reflecting how wretched was the condition of a disrespected man. 1876 G. MEREDITH Beauch. Career III. vi. 105 Treating her…like a disrespected grandmother.
Oddly, none of these sound wrong. The way most people use the word, however, grates on my nerves.
Hmmm…I just looked it up in the two dictionaries that I happen to have handy… The American Heritage Dictionary (c) 1976, and Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (c) 1981. It has a verb entry in both.
I also didn’t see this as new usage. You have a point that it has recently become a popular usage.