A Word is A Word.

Writer 012WB

Let’s Bring Back: The Lost Language Edition is a short, but fascinating book which is precisely what it says on the tin. A book full of words and phrases which have long gone out of style and been forgotten. I’ve always found the break down of language and how it evolves fascinating.

Etymology was one of the subjects I enjoyed most in school. As someone with Aspergers, I can be rather persnickety about words being used correctly. If a word has a meaning, it should mean that. It’s something my hubby and I have amusing debates about.

Anyway, reading through the book, I was struck by several truly amusing words/phrases (along with their meanings) that I think we should bring back to life:

Chase the Ducks – translation take the risk.
Dingbat – idiot
Giggle Water – booze/liquor
Kerfuffle – commotion
Keep your pecker up – I know it sounds perverted, but it actually referred to a bird’s pecker not male bits. The meaning up the phrase was basically keep your head up.

Do you have any favourite words or phrases that have gone out of style?

Words.

I’m pedantic about words.

I think people overuse words and they lose their meaning. I think they use words that they don’t understand.

Martyr, for example. I saw a post the other day where someone called a person who was arrested a martyr.

No, just no. Unless the person was killed for their religious or other deeply held beliefs, no, they were not actually a martyr.

Or hate.

Hate is a strong emotion. Nine times out of ten, you don’t really ‘hate’ what you say you do. You dislike it. There is a difference. A monumental difference actually.

My husband and I often have disagreements because of this. He can’t understand why I ‘don’t understand’ him. My issues is usually he’s using a word in a way that differs from it’s actual definition, and it confuses me. Words have meanings, and if you use them differently, for someone like me who is Autistic, it makes confusing social interactions even more confusing.