Words that you don't hear anymore.

[EMom]

DD8 also loves to use the word "shant." (shall not) She got it from the Mr. Men books when she was about 4 and it stuck.

In the South, we always used breakfast, dinner and supper when we ate at home. Sunday dinner was definitely the noon meal after church. But if we ate at a restaurant, the noon meal became "lunch." If we ate at a restaurant for the evening meal, that was going out to dinner.

So at home, it was breakfast/dinner/supper and eating out would have been breakfast/lunch/dinner. I have no idea why. It just was. And it wasn't only my family. The terms were used by everyone.

 

[mm_ja]

I dont mean to take this thread off topic too much but...

A PP mentioned the word "should" not being used properly. As far as phrases being misused go, we have all heard headlines like this:

"In other news, a tragedy was avoided earlier today when two planes nearly missed colliding today on the runway"

If you "Nearly Miss" hitting something that means you slammed right into whatever you were trying to miss.

Another: "Honey, Alabama only lost the game today by two points, if that last second three point shot had gone in they would have won". MY DW "I could care less". Me "ok, so that means you do care about the game at least a little bit". MY DW "Smartass"

See, this is what Communications 101 gets you in college.

 

[jbmom]

I always want to use the word *thongs* for flip flops (my DD does the ) but of course that now means something else........

Yes! When I was growing up they were thongs.

 

[legalsea]

I dont mean to take this thread off topic too much but...

A PP mentioned the word "should" not being used properly. As far as phrases being misused go, we have all heard headlines like this:

"In other news, a tragedy was avoided earlier today when two planes nearly missed colliding today on the runway"

If you "Nearly Miss" hitting something that means you slammed right into whatever you were trying to miss.

Another: "Honey, Alabama only lost the game today by two points, if that last second three point shot had gone in they would have won". MY DW "I could care less". Me "ok, so that means you do care about the game at least a little bit". MY DW "Smartass"

See, this is what Communications 101 gets you in college.

I often see people use the word "sustain" like this: "She sustained horrific injuries in the car accident."

Of course, she did not 'sustain' her injuries (i.e., render support). However, we have Winston Churchill to blame, for her used sustained frequently in his addresses to the country ("The Nazee's have sustained heavy damage").

 

[PrincessPAC]

When I say "library," students look at me with confused looks on their faces. Usually, they respond with uncertainty - "Do you mean the media center?"

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Nobody ever says "avenge" any more. Or "hot diggidity". (Well, except for Grandpa Simpson.) And nobody uses "lord" as a verb as in, "He lorded over her."

 

[Ampris]

When I say "library," students look at me with confused looks on their faces. Usually, they respond with uncertainty - "Do you mean the media center?"

Really? Dang. That's pretty sad.

 

[Fizzgig]

Back in Olde England "Woad" meant 'mad' or angry. I believe that usage of that word in that particular sense came about due to the irritable behavior, etc., of those who engaged in dyeing clothes as a profession (due to the leaching of chemicals from the plants, minerals, etc). Much like "mad as a hatter" came about due to the hatters' exposure to mercury, causing rather bizarre behavior at times.

I have seen the legend that woad is what the Celts used for body paint, but I have never seen a mention for a personality trait except for the Catholic Church's diatribes against indigo, not woad.

But hey, if I had to be around human-sourced ammonia at my job, I can see where I'd personally get irritable!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The word I don't hear anymore is "miss", instead I hear "ma'am".

I've had a couple people call me "Miss" lately and I look at them like they're bonkers. I'm double their age and I'm a miss?

Nobody ever says "avenge" any more. Or "hot diggidity". (Well, except for Grandpa Simpson.) And nobody uses "lord" as a verb as in, "He lorded over her."

My sister loved teaching my toddlers "hot diggity dog!" So cute hearing them try to say that.

 

[Kath2003]

"Yahoo" and "Lycos" and the name of every other search engine replaced by "Google".

We have to call the library the "Learning Resource Centre".

"DOS"

"Joystick"

All the kids call female teachers "Miss" and the male teachers "Sir". I could live without hearing "Miss!" being called from 30 different directions constantly...

 

[minnieandme]

Here's another vote for davenport (couch). My grandmother used to call the fridge the "ice box", you never hear that anymore. Honestly, I've never heard anyone use the word "supper", I've only heard it in movies & on TV.

My grandmother still says ice box.

One word that I haven't heard in a long time is hiney. I remember the adults using that word when I was little.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

Excuse me

 

[Fizzgig]

Brandie I have never heard console used for a china hutch/sideboard either. I am thinking your DH had right to be confused there.As far as missued words go, when did "literally" cease to refer to something not being an exageration but being actually factual and just become a quailifier meaning "very" (ie someone is quite hungry so they say they are "literally starving"--uh NO you are just very hungry.)

My DD11 is always refereing to things as "grand." As in "It would be grand if so and so could come over to play." I have no idea where she picked that up from.

Console would refer to a specific furniture piece... Here's a pic from a Google search:

Flat top table, usually with two doors, maybe a couple of drawers, but usually a half-moon/rounded shape with at least 4 legs. Oh, and figure when I said it, I was pointing at the thing!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Flat top table, usually with two doors, maybe a couple of drawers, but usually a half-moon/rounded shape with at least 4 legs. Oh, and figure when I said it, I was pointing at the thing!

 

[Fizzgig]

Thought of some more... (oh good grief, this question is going to stay in my head all day )...

Tippling
Tee-totaler <- I know the name was created for the "Temperance Movement," but where does the "totaler" come from?

 

[NHdisneylover]

Console would refer to a specific furniture piece... Here's a pic from a Google search:

Flat top table, usually with two doors, maybe a couple of drawers, but usually a half-moon/rounded shape with at least 4 legs. Oh, and figure when I said it, I was pointing at the thing!

I grew up calling that a buffet. We learn something new every day Oh, and I don't care much for alcohol so DH is alwasy telling people I am a tea totaler! (is it supposed to be tee? I always thought it was tea as in drinking only tea, not alcohol but I never looked it up--off to do so now).

 

[Crankyshank]

I call that a buffet too.

Teetotaler is a British term. When you signed your name and put a T next to it, you were showing that you pledged to abstain from alcohol. Teetotaler is just refering to the repetition of T's on a list of pledges

 

[Fizzgig]

I call that a buffet too.

Teetotaler is a British term. When you signed your name and put a T next to it, you were showing that you pledged to abstain from alcohol. Teetotaler is just refering to the repetition of T's on a list of pledges

Is it repetition, or total abstinence from alcohol? Hadley thought it might be total abstinence. I knew you put a T by your signature, but that didn't seem to relate to "total." Maybe I'm looking at it wrong.

 

[Crankyshank]

Is it repetition, or total abstinence from alcohol? Hadley thought it might be total abstinence. I knew you put a T by your signature, but that didn't seem to relate to "total." Maybe I'm looking at it wrong.

It's repetition of signing a T next to your name, signifying you are total abstaining from alchohol.

 

[Fizzgig]

It's repetition of signing a T next to your name, signifying you are total abstaining from alchohol.

Ah, ok. Thank you!