Words that have been given a new meaning
Discussion
For instance 'deserve'.
It used to mean that the person had done something to earn a reward or recognition. Now it means simply existing and being part of a group which 'deserves' something. For instance, on the side of a pet food van "Your pet deserves the best".
Another one is 'incredible'. Used to mean something that was impossible or difficult to believe. Now it means anything the user of the word wants to emphasise.
It used to mean that the person had done something to earn a reward or recognition. Now it means simply existing and being part of a group which 'deserves' something. For instance, on the side of a pet food van "Your pet deserves the best".
Another one is 'incredible'. Used to mean something that was impossible or difficult to believe. Now it means anything the user of the word wants to emphasise.
A person who returns from the bar with crisps is more useful though!
"I don't supposed you picked up some crisps while you were at the bar did you?"
"No, but I nipped outside and pulled this sword from a stone in the corner of the car park"
"Useless f
ker!"
"I don't supposed you picked up some crisps while you were at the bar did you?"
"No, but I nipped outside and pulled this sword from a stone in the corner of the car park"
"Useless f
ker!"Edited by MitchT on Thursday 13th January 11:59
Hero.
Has become so devalued recently.
We have footballing Heroes. Olympic heroes , sporting heroes.
They are people who are very good at their hobbies and some are earning obscene amounts of money from it.
That's not heroic.
Running into a burning building to save a live is heroic.
Jumping in to a river to save someone from drowning is heroic.
Running, jumping and kicking are not.
/grumpy old git
Has become so devalued recently.
We have footballing Heroes. Olympic heroes , sporting heroes.
They are people who are very good at their hobbies and some are earning obscene amounts of money from it.
That's not heroic.
Running into a burning building to save a live is heroic.
Jumping in to a river to save someone from drowning is heroic.
Running, jumping and kicking are not.
/grumpy old git
Snowflake.
When I first saw the term being used as a pejorative it meant the mistaken belief that a person is special, beautiful and worthy of adulation and praise from all and sundry; usually a belief held by a parent about their snotty little brat. But in relatively short order it seems to have changed to mean a person of weak constitution who melts to nothing the moment even a small amount of heat is applied to them.
While I see the validity of the latter use, I prefer the former because it was a light hearted jibe rather than the part of the unpleasant culture/generation war it seems to have become more recently.
When I first saw the term being used as a pejorative it meant the mistaken belief that a person is special, beautiful and worthy of adulation and praise from all and sundry; usually a belief held by a parent about their snotty little brat. But in relatively short order it seems to have changed to mean a person of weak constitution who melts to nothing the moment even a small amount of heat is applied to them.
While I see the validity of the latter use, I prefer the former because it was a light hearted jibe rather than the part of the unpleasant culture/generation war it seems to have become more recently.
Jazzy Jag said:
Hero.
Has become so devalued recently.
We have footballing Heroes. Olympic heroes , sporting heroes.
They are people who are very good at their hobbies and some are earning obscene amounts of money from it.
That's not heroic.
Running into a burning building to save a live is heroic.
Jumping in to a river to save someone from drowning is heroic.
Running, jumping and kicking are not.
/grumpy old git
I think a hero is someone who can be looked up to, so I get where people are coming from with successful sportsmen etc. And at least it's difficult and rare to achieve considerable success in those fields - there are many thousands of times more people in hacking around in pub football teams than in the top flight of the premiership.Has become so devalued recently.
We have footballing Heroes. Olympic heroes , sporting heroes.
They are people who are very good at their hobbies and some are earning obscene amounts of money from it.
That's not heroic.
Running into a burning building to save a live is heroic.
Jumping in to a river to save someone from drowning is heroic.
Running, jumping and kicking are not.
/grumpy old git
What irritates me is 'brave'. As with the heroic examples above, running into a burning building or jumping into a freezing river to save someone are examples of bravery. But you regularly see reviews or articles describing actors as giving a 'brave performance', despite them essentially doing nothing more than pretending to be someone else.
mikey_b said:
...I think a hero is someone who can be looked up to, so I get where people are coming from with successful sportsmen etc. And at least it's difficult and rare to achieve considerable success in those fields - there are many thousands of times more people in hacking around in pub football teams than in the top flight of the premiership...
.
Which is an excellent example of the meaning of words having been changed..
AFAIAC hero incorporates a strong element of self-sacrifice, someone who risks his or her own life to protect others.
For instance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambahadur_Limbu
It is amusing when you can hear the same word being used in very different locations and situations, to mean very different things.
In Cumbria/Lake District the words Gay or Queer can still be heard being used to decide 'big', 'very', 'a lot', and similar. "It's been snowing, so watch out as it'll be queer slippery out there" or "You're gonna have to work gay fast to get that job done in time".
In Cumbria/Lake District the words Gay or Queer can still be heard being used to decide 'big', 'very', 'a lot', and similar. "It's been snowing, so watch out as it'll be queer slippery out there" or "You're gonna have to work gay fast to get that job done in time".
Lord Marylebone said:
It is amusing when you can hear the same word being used in very different locations and situations, to mean very different things.
In Cumbria/Lake District the words Gay or Queer can still be heard being used to decide 'big', 'very', 'a lot', and similar. "It's been snowing, so watch out as it'll be queer slippery out there" or "You're gonna have to work gay fast to get that job done in time".
Northerners = weird* In Cumbria/Lake District the words Gay or Queer can still be heard being used to decide 'big', 'very', 'a lot', and similar. "It's been snowing, so watch out as it'll be queer slippery out there" or "You're gonna have to work gay fast to get that job done in time".
(*I think weird means the same at both ends of the country)
Lord Marylebone said:
"You're gonna have to work gay fast to get that job done in time".
To be fair, "gay fast" is pretty damn rapid...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0bITNGbLJ0
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