The other day, a comerical had an actor describe the device as "This is so genius!" Can "genius" actually be used that way?

quote:

Originally posted by Proofreader:
The other day, a comerical had an actor describe the device as "This is so genius!" Can "genius" actually be used that way?

Sure it can be. It just was.

It sounds very informal to me.

"This is so genius!"

It's been going on for a least a couple of years. Similar constructions using nouns as adjectives exist. Calling a car cherry or something tits. There is the almost parallel wizard.

It was cited in the OED as an adjective for the first time in 1817. Here is a typical entry:

"1894 L. J. Miln Strolling Players East xxi. 194, I represented‥the sweet meek maiden who was the *genius-born daughter of Shakespeare's pen."

What sounds odd to British ears is this use of "so" rather than this use of "genius".

This is such genius would sound perfectly fine to me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BobHale,

Bob's interpretation is consisent my with my feeling of awkwardness.

quote:

Originally posted by BobHale:
What sounds odd to British ears is this use of "so" rather than this use of "genius".

This is such genius would sound perfectly fine to me.

aiui such modifies nouns and so modifies adjectives, so I think that's why such sounds better to you.

Altho genius has been an adjective since 1817, it's been an attributive adjective, and this new usage (that is so genius) is a predicative adjective.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: goofy,

I just thought of the perfect current use of genius as an adjective: The "genius bar" at Apple Stores. We were there this weekend.