Passe' words and phrases

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

I say "say" a lot for emphasis at the beginning of a sentence. Like, "Say, weren't you planning on buying me a present?" Others: doll, broad, dame, fellow, picture show, cinema, powder room (instead of ladies room).

I say, p*wder r*om seems so harsh, and a men's l*unge is where I'd expect people in smoking jackets.

I'm so ashamed of these vulgar expressions, I use an old-fashioned euphemism from a foreign language: I call that a toilet.



Of course, the neutral word is 'loo' , which might very well be a Golden-Era neologism, introduced after WWI.
And powder rooms exist, only they are more than a loo.
Also, if you ask a Brit where you can wash your hands, (s)he might give you a fresh towel - and show you the kitchen sink, just as a bathroom might sport a bathtub and that's it.
.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

My wife's grandmother always called going to the movies as "going to the picture show". We picked up on that back then and now say it to our daughter.

 

[Robert Conway]

I say "say" a lot for emphasis at the beginning of a sentence. Like, "Say, weren't you planning on buying me a present?"

Add, me to that list.



Here's one that really throws people:

"Turn on the steam." or "Turn the steam up, it's freezing in here!", which used to mean turning the radiator (heater) on or up in an apartment or house.

** Post edited by R.C.
Acute lack of sleep from working far too many hours can make you sometimes say some rather odd things. "Did I really just type that?"
***

 

[scotrace]

Housekeeping

The barware discussion has been moved. I thought it deserved its own thread.

 

[skinnychik]

Evidently the word "queue" is past recognition in the US. (My apologies to the Brits online) Since it's used so infrequently, people seem to be forgetting it's usage. There are signs near many of the rides at Six Flags reminding people that there is to be

"No Smoking in the Queue Line"

Isn't a queue a line? Are they asking us not to smoke in the line-line? Did they think queue was an adjective?

 

[Doh!]

At work I dial my phone, Xerox documents and sometimes keep my lunch in the ice box, even though A) none of the phones in the building have dials B) our copying machines are made by Minolta and C) refrigerators haven't required blocks of ice to keep things cool in quite some time.

The only thing in my office that isn't called by an outdated name is the Scotch tape (yes, made by the actual 3-M Corp.).

Now, if you'll excuse me it's late and I need to hit the hay (yep, no actual hay in my mattress... I don't think).

 

[The Wolf]

English/American

A lot of terms that are out-of-date in the states are still used in Britain.
I used queue a while ago in front of a British friend and he was shocked to hear it in the U.S..
"Row" meaning a fight used to be said in the U.S. but few use it now, I think it is still common in the U.K..
I use a lot of words that seem common to me until I see my compatriot's face with a big question mark over it.
Speaking of xerography, I said mimeograph to a young man when I couldn't think of "photocopy". Again, the question mark appeared.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Mmmm... mimeograph fumes...

 

[Twitch]

Bet nobody uses the phrase as in the Flintstones theme song- "...we'll have a gay old time," anymore.lol

 

[J. M. Stovall]

The only thing in my office that isn't called by an outdated name is the Scotch tape (yes, made by the actual 3-M Corp.).

Scotch tape is a Golden Era product. Invented by Richard Drew in 1930, a scientist at 3M. The brandname Scotch came about while Richard Drew was testing his first masking tape to determine how much adhesive he needed to add. The bodyshop painter became frustrated with the sample masking tape and exclaimed, "Take this tape back to those Scotch bosses of yours and tell them to put more adhesive on it!" The name was soon applied to the entire line of 3M tapes.

 

[Doh!]

Thanks for the info; too bad it doesn't contain the other kind of Scotch (it could be used as The Patch for alcoholics).

 

[clevispin]

These are words my children critisize me for:


-"sister" when addressing women young & older

-"buggy" for an automobile or SUV

-"yonder"

-"lookee"

-"record" for any kind of musical recording

-"calaboose" for jail

-"hog leg" for a pistol

-"britches" for pants/trousers etc.

m

 

[Strider]

I say: "That was a gas!" or "That was a hoot!" when I think something's funny. I've actually had a friend look at me funny for saying: "Oh man, that was a gas!" I also use the term "movie house".
I also use the term "record" in reference to an album of music.

Some others I use:

"Hotter than a pistol" (In reference to someone on a streak, or doing very well at something.)
"Picture" (in reference to a movie ) "What would I go see a picture like that for?"
"Toque" They still use this in Canada, but they call them beanies here.

 

[CharlieH.]

Here's a sampling of the vintage terms I use just about daily:

- Timepiece
- Disc (as opposed to CD)
- tin foil
- Jack (money)
- Copper (police officer)
- Television (never TV, and sometimes spelled Tele-vision)
- Hoosegow
- Cush (money)

My substitutes for the ever overused "Cool":
- Kippy
- Nifty (or niftic)
- Swell
- Ace
- Cookin'
- Mean

The Female:
- Broad
- Skirt
- Dame
- Honey
- Bag
- Extra
- S. Y. T. (sweet young thing)

Appellatives:
- Jackson
- Toots
- Joe
- Sister
- Pops (regardless of age)
- Ole boy
- Milkshakes
- Cats
- Kids (again, regardless of age)
- Children

 

[Lady Day]

I have to thank my Granny for most of these

We're from the south, and shes 85, so from growing up in and around her house, a lot of these terms I use all the time.

wash/dish rag (dish towel)
washer (washing machine)
sweeper (vacuum)
clicker (remote control)
ice box
pop (soda/cola)
click on/off (turn on/off)
give me a gingle (phone call)

I still use 'dapper' and 'dressed to the nines' often.

I also tend to use 'gal' a lot. My Granny did. I also use 'kat' when describing the fellas, and house shoes, instead of slippers.


LD

 

[magneto]

We're from the south, and shes 85, so from growing up in and around her house, a lot of these terms I use all the time.

wash/dish rag (dish towel)
washer (washing machine)
sweeper (vacuum)
clicker (remote control)
ice box
...{{SNIP}}...

I say all those too, and also from growing up in/around my grandma's house Actually she used to say "Frigidaire" ("put the milk in the Frigidaire") which I always liked the sound of. I say "singlet" which I got from her ...but that might just be a British-colonial-thing...

 

[Dr Doran]

" ... in spades." Meaning, a whole lot of whatever it is.

"Yes, we got firewood here folks ... in spades."

Etc.

 

[Talbot]

When people ask me how I am...

...I tell them I'm just Tickety-Boo (they look at me strangely).

I use 'in spades', 'no little' and 'more than somewhat' - you can tell a Runyon fan.

I don't have a fridge, I have a Coolerator.

When I'm riding with friends and we need to accellerate, I tell them to 'put it to the wood', or 'rattle your dags'.

Turn off the lights = Douse the Edisons.

When someone is in the bathroom, they are 'on the throne'.

If you have been waiting in line for too long, you are in the far queue!

 

[DerMann]

I don't know if the word pinch was ever popular in American English as substitute for steal, but I still use it, and its much more vivid than steal or take.

Again, the word canteen has never been popular in American English, but it's shorter and sounds more civilised than "cafeteria." Although the canteen on campus is known as Sparks (the Sparks Centre).

For the past year, I've been trying to stop using 'eh' and 'huh' at the ends of my sentences and replacing them with 'what'. More of a vintage English English, but still more fun.

Trying to use aeroplane and aerodrome more so.

I spell and pronounce aluminium correctly.

Strike anywhere matches are Lucifers in my book.

'I say," is fun to say.

Old sport, chap, girl, boy, horse, etc... can be construed as either overly British or Gatsbian (is that a word?).

Probably more...

 

[Dr Doran]

My 2c:

"Aerodrome" is very, very cool.

'lucifers' is utterly cool.

I am hesitant about some of the bathroom words. Why? My father always said "I'm going to the toilet." In America, it is not a good idea to say this. You should be more vague and say something like "I'm going to the facilities" or, MUCH better, "I'll be right back."

To say "I'm going to the toilet" does not mean "to the room in which the toilet is housed" in American English. It means "I am going to the room in which the toilet is housed AND I AM GOING TO SIT ON THE TOILET THEREIN."

Needless to say, this is MUCH too specific, and in fact slightly disgusting. Best to keep your precise business in that room quite vague.

"Back in a flash" or "back in a moment" is to be preferred in polite company.

That's my 2c.