Words that have stopped being used or changed meaning

[onehitwanda]

My name is Emily. Miller isn’t my surname as I’m not terminally stupid .

Em

https://y.yarn.co/8247eb77-6bc6-4cad-950a-958903d8c9a5_text.gif

 

[EmilyMiller]

More experience in cultural appropriation?

TBH, I think some of my lexicon predates any British paramours. Read a lot of Conrad, Greene, Conan Doyle, Shakespeare and Le Carre (hate Dickens though). As well as Poe who it feels desperately wanted to be English. Still Steinbeck is my favorite author, not terribly British really.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I stand corrected. You may assume your 47.3% superiority.

It’s a given, hun .

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

hate Dickens though

Ramen. Hardy was far more interesting and far less poncy.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Ramen. Hardy was far more interesting and far less poncy.

Hardy was a bit too light and frivolous for me. Jude the Obscure almost had me suicidal.

Em

 

[MediocreAuthor]

This being Literotica, I can't believe that no one has brought up the word "Cuck" as an example of a word changing it's meaning.

I suppose this may vary somewhat, (and I certainly don't want to stir up the LW crowd when I say this) but used to "cuckold" just meant a man with an unfaithful wife.

Now, the words "cuckold" and "cuck" more commonly have the connotation of a man who enjoys his wife's extra-marital choices, right?

I could be wrong about this one, but that's the way I've heard it thrown around.

I don't read or write LW, so maybe I'm way off base.

[Edit] Case in point, I recently heard someone say "That that guy isn't a cuck; his wife just cheated on him. He didn't have any part of it."

 

[onehitwanda]

Hardy was a bit to light and frivolous for me. Jude the Obscure almost had me suicidal.

Em

At least I got to study 'Far from the Madding Crowd' - it's still one of my favourite classics.

Virgil can go do one though. Thank god I can remember almost nothing of the Aeneid.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Was the Aeneid the one that has stridens hastilibus in it? Meant to be this big onomatopoeia thing. It’s all Greek to me .

En

 

[EmilyMiller]

At least I got to study 'Far from the Madding Crowd' - it's still one of my favourite classics.

Virgil can go do one though. Thank god I can remember almost nothing of the Aeneid.

Was the Aeneid the one that has stridens hastilibus in it? Meant to be this big onomatopoeia thing. It’s all Greek to me .

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

Was the Aeneid the one that has stridens hastilibus in it? Meant to be this big onomatopoeia thing. It’s all Greek to me .

Em

I'm far more Homer-erotic than Virgilinal.

Sorry.

 

[yowser]

From a Geek Pride WIP:

"Theodicy? I thought it was more an 'Illiad' thing."

 

[Duleigh]

Theodicy

I LIKE that word... how do I work that into my story...

 

[alohadave]

This being Literotica, I can't believe that no one has brought up the word "Cuck" as an example of a word changing it's meaning.

I suppose this may vary somewhat, (and I certainly don't want to stir up the LW crowd when I say this) but used to "cuckold" just meant a man with an unfaithful wife.

Now, the words "cuckold" and "cuck" more commonly have the connotation of a man who enjoys his wife's extra-marital choices, right?

I could be wrong about this one, but that's the way I've heard it thrown around.

I don't read or write LW, so maybe I'm way off base.

[Edit] Case in point, I recently heard someone say "That that guy isn't a cuck; his wife just cheated on him. He didn't have any part of it."

There's also a humiliation aspect to it. Either as a kink for the man, or as a power play for the wife.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

There's also a humiliation aspect to it. Either as a kink for the man, or as a power play for the wife.

Right...

But originally I don't think that connotation applied to the word. Originally, it just meant "a man with an unfaithful wife."

I didn't matter what the context was back then... but now I think it does.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Another term with an upswing in popularity...EMILY

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/05/...te=1&user_id=828f2865a55ae89bd1f35faa36da6909

Top five female names for the 1990's: I didn't know that. I also don't know how I missed Emily Dickinson, because I just wrote about her in an upcoming story.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The whole story can be found in Steven Levy's book Hackers, and it's a great read (and mostly accurate, too).

BTW, there's a link to the famous "Jargon File" collected by Eric Raymond and others. Don't click on that link unless you want to have hours of your life mysteriously sucked away.

The link to the jargon book:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3008

At a brief glance, some of jargon is actually useful. Some of it consists of euphemisms, and other terms are to mislead others or inflate the importance of the person using them. Some are outright slang, some of which disappears quickly, although other words and phrases last a long time.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Not at all unusual. My last job title was "Systems Engineer" although my degree is computer science, which at the time was a math degree. Now I was truly an engineer in the sense that I designed, implemented and maintained complex systems, which was probably similar to what you did.

In some states you cannot have the title "Engineer" unless you have a P.E. (Professional Engineer) certification. It was a defensive move against fly-by-night contractors who'd call themselves "engineers" when what they were was builders who couldn't know an actual structural calculation if it bit 'em on the butt.

Engineers can also refer to working class jobs without a degree like locomotive engineers or those people on ships who operate the equipment. Operating engineers run construction equipment like cranes.

https://www.iuoe.org/great-jobs

 

[Roughscrewu]

I haven't heard 'Twat' in 40 yesrs

 

[gunhilltrain]

Doesn’t seem to happen the other way round for some reason.

Em

Ever try to read Trainspotting? (Junkies in Edinburgh, Scotland). People from Scotland and Sheffield and such must visit the U.S., but I haven't met any of them yet.

 

[TxRad]

Engineers can also refer to working class jobs without a degree like locomotive engineers or those people on ships who operate the equipment. Operating engineers run construction equipment like cranes.

In Louisiana, you need two years of land survey to be an electrical engineer.

 

[silky52]

I heard a newish word yesterday on TV, Mint!! Now there are several meanings to that word, but this one was used in saying that the person was, 'mint'!! I think it was quite cute!

 

[silky52]

In Louisiana, you need two years of land survey to be an electrical engineer.

I've also heard the term; garbage engineers. Seems to me that you can add engineer to almost anything these days! Crazy! Ah that's another word with several meanings!

 

[Moon Glade]

I once met some one who told me they were a 'matrix engineer'. When I asked what that was I was told 'hair stylist'.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I've also heard the term; garbage engineers. Seems to me that you can add engineer to almost anything these days! Crazy! Ah that's another word with several meanings!

I think I've heard that one someplace. In New York, they are called sanitation workers. Doesn't sound too pretentious, until you remember that most people call them garbage men. Or, to account for gender, garbage collectors.

Prisons and jails have long been correctional facilities. Ironic, because most of the people who go into them come out worse, not corrected.

The former guards (once called "screws" by inmates in some places) are now corrections officers. New York City also calls them "New York's Boldest" to go along with the other flattering names given to city employees. Personally, I wouldn't want to work all day surrounded by thousands of people who hate me.

https://www.informnny.com/wp-conten...903743_91173761_ver1.0.jpg?w=572&h=324&crop=1

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I heard a newish word yesterday on TV, Mint!! Now there are several meanings to that word, but this one was used in saying that the person was, 'mint'!! I think it was quite cute!

That was really popular in the UK about 10-15 years ago!

Ever try to read Trainspotting? (Junkies in Edinburgh, Scotland). People from Scotland and Sheffield and such must visit the U.S., but I haven't met any of them yet.

Heh. I saw that in the cinema with a guy from New England who had been in London for a couple weeks and never been to Scotland. Bless him, he bought the book afterwards and spent months trying to puzzle it out!

I think Brits are more used to having to tone down their dialects when speaking to anyone from ten miles away, so you won't notice most UK accents as being anything other than generic Briddish. And we're used to American accents from TV, so apply them when not immediately understood. I've got a strong London accent nowadays, but as soon as I'm across the pond, it turns into RP mixed with transatlantic, just so I don't have to repeat myself so much. And it gets more American in hot weather, to remind me to ask for 'warder' not 'wa'er'...

I've also heard the term; garbage engineers. Seems to me that you can add engineer to almost anything these days!

It's a pet peeve with UK engineers. If you aren't a Chartered Engineer or have similar letters after your name, people will assume you're a basic repairs person or glorified cleaner.