The phrase’s composition includes multiple parts of speech. “Reference” and “original” function as nouns, designating an act of consulting information and a novel creation, respectively. “Hairy” serves as an adjective, describing a quality potentially associated with the YouTube original. The remaining words act as prepositions, adverbs, and conjunctions, establishing the syntactical structure of the phrase. An example of its usage might involve describing an unpolished or unconventional project from YouTube’s early days.
Understanding the components reveals potential connections to the platform’s history. Early YouTube content was often characterized by raw, unedited footage, differentiating it from professionally produced media. This characteristic gave rise to a perceived authenticity, resonating with viewers who sought genuine and unfiltered content. The ability to reference such productions provides a historical lens through which to view the platform’s evolution and its relationship with content creators and audiences.