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Were Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry homosexuals?

Of course not, but I ask this silly question because words mean things. Please let me explain.

You see, I was reading a biography about Patrick Henry that said that he met Thomas Jefferson at a “gay party.” I looked up the definition of the word “gay” in the dictionary and it says that it primarily means “homosexual.” So, if they were attending a “gay” party, then they must have been homosexuals, right?

No.

So, what am I missing here?

Context.

Well, the biography that I was reading was written in the 19^th Century, but the definition I was reading was from the 21^st Century. I was applying today’s definition to a phrase that was written in a different era, with an entirely different meaning in mind. Over time, the definition of some words will change due to common usage in the society. So, what we need to do is to find out what the definition of the word was at the time that the biography was written. Then we will better understand what the author intended, in context. So, I got out my copy of the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, the first English American Dictionary. Mr. Webster defines gay as, “Merry; airy; jovial; sportive; frolicksome. It denotes more life and animation than cheerful.”

Okay. Now I can see that, in context, Jefferson and Henry met at a lively, fun, jovial party. This changes things a bit, doesn’t it?        

Yes, I know that this was a silly example, but it is an example of the danger of putting the modern definition of a word into a document written in a different era. And it demonstrates why every student of early American History needs to have the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary. If we are to truly understand the words of the founders, we need to understand the language, as spoken, in their day.

Noah Webster was a founding father, Revolutionary War soldier, attorney, educator, and author. He published America’s first speller and America’s first dictionary. He knew that words mean things. And, he knew that the new United States of America had a different usage of the English language than did the Mother Country. So, he wrote and published the American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828.

When studying founding documents, it is crucial to have an excellent dictionary, from that era, to help you understand what the authors intended. That’s where the Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary comes in. Fortunately, we have the original, unabridged facsimile edition available to us. Click here to see more information and order your copy today. You can receive this amazing work in a beautiful hardcover edition, in CD-ROM format, or both!

Getting this dictionary will greatly help you in your travels down the ancient paths!

Until next time …

Stay on the narrow path,

Larry