Comments on: Outdated Words http://tod.fm/outdated-words/ :) Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:17:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lynne http://tod.fm/outdated-words/#comment-35 Lynne Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:34:02 +0000 http://Blog.ByTod.com/?p=248#comment-35 Gee, I thought this post was swell. I often think about my use of slang (the seasoning of language) regarding what sneaks in and what has fallen out of favor. I love your analysis of “bum” but you forgot to include the fact that it makes everyone under a certain age giggle. (Based on personal experience so far, I’m guessing that age is 45.) As someone who refuses to shake the northeast colloquialism, “wicked”, but never uses “killer” or “sweet” to mean good because they seem so violent and juvenile, respectively (above disclosure notwithstanding), I have happily adopted “kickass” when combined with “chicks” (another bit of slang eschewed by the PC crowd) and boots to mean powerful and fabulous. In other PC hokum, a swamp is now a wetland. And while it’s not slang, it’s no Occident that “judging” people and things is also out of favor. Word usage, including slang, is a decent gauge of prevailing attitudes. Gee, I thought this post was swell.

I often think about my use of slang (the seasoning of language) regarding what sneaks in and what has fallen out of favor. I love your analysis of “bum” but you forgot to include the fact that it makes everyone under a certain age giggle. (Based on personal experience so far, I’m guessing that age is 45.)

As someone who refuses to shake the northeast colloquialism, “wicked”, but never uses “killer” or “sweet” to mean good because they seem so violent and juvenile, respectively (above disclosure notwithstanding), I have happily adopted “kickass” when combined with “chicks” (another bit of slang eschewed by the PC crowd) and boots to mean powerful and fabulous.

In other PC hokum, a swamp is now a wetland. And while it’s not slang, it’s no Occident that “judging” people and things is also out of favor. Word usage, including slang, is a decent gauge of prevailing attitudes.

]]> By: tod http://tod.fm/outdated-words/#comment-34 tod Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:04:32 +0000 http://Blog.ByTod.com/?p=248#comment-34 See, it's just silly to identify oneself by the national origin of one's ancestors. It's all happenstance, and it puts focus on the least important element of what makes you who you are, rather than what kind of person you consciously chose to become. I don't derive my identity from a group, so whether I'm "white" or "Northern European turned American" just does not matter to me. See, it’s just silly to identify oneself by the national origin of one’s ancestors. It’s all happenstance, and it puts focus on the least important element of what makes you who you are, rather than what kind of person you consciously chose to become. I don’t derive my identity from a group, so whether I’m “white” or “Northern European turned American” just does not matter to me.

]]> By: Jack http://tod.fm/outdated-words/#comment-33 Jack Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:57:21 +0000 http://Blog.ByTod.com/?p=248#comment-33 How about "black"? Like Indian, also less than ideal, but then again, so is white. But African American!!!! How does that translate into black? I'm one of them; an African who is now an American, but I'm white. Last year, a white student at a San Diego university, who referred to himself as African American, caused more than just a stir! How about “black”? Like Indian, also less than ideal, but then again, so is white. But African American!!!! How does that translate into black? I’m one of them; an African who is now an American, but I’m white. Last year, a white student at a San Diego university, who referred to himself as African American, caused more than just a stir!

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