Terms You Use for Something Which You Think Might Be Out of Date or Uncool, But You Use Anyway?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Do you use any words for things which you know are out of date but you use regardless? Like calling a radio 'the wireless', for example?

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:30 (twenty-one years ago)

popular beat combo.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i wish i did. i think we should all go to the picture house to watch a talkie.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:41 (twenty-one years ago)

'Internet'

― robster (robster), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I still find myself saying "wicked!", which I'm sure hasn't been used unironically by anyone else since at least 1991.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:42 (twenty-one years ago)

An old Finnish term for the TV is "the seeing-radio", which I think is a great word, so I occasionally use it.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Hit Parade.

― ___ (___), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I occasionally refer to a stereo as a hi-fi.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:44 (twenty-one years ago)

do ppl still refer to the lareger portable stereos as ghetto blasters? It is not a term I've heard for a long time. When I was in the US and I mentioned the use of this term I was told "oh that's so unPC".

At the time, the preferred term on that side of the Atlantic was apparently boombox.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:46 (twenty-one years ago)

picture theatre.

― donna (donna), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:48 (twenty-one years ago)

'stereo' should be as outdated as 'hifi' really - the fact that something is stereo is hardly impressive these days. i might start calling it the soundbox.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:49 (twenty-one years ago)

and it's funny that 'wireless' has come back out of necessity for other things

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:51 (twenty-one years ago)

walkman

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:52 (twenty-one years ago)

biro

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:52 (twenty-one years ago)

sex

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:54 (twenty-one years ago)

sixth-formers

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I occasionally say "wireless" or even "trannie" - and my stereo will always be a stereo.
I go to "the barber" whether or not it says "hairdresser" or "stylist" on the sign.
And the cinema is still "the pictures".

Is it still cool to say "cool"?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:57 (twenty-one years ago)

'Trendy' is better, though even that's a bit last year.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 08:58 (twenty-one years ago)

grown-ups
ghetto-blaster

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

mint

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

wicked, rad, class, clutch. and my new england accent pops up from time to time, mostly in inverse relation to my distance from home.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:22 (twenty-one years ago)

so i assume you use mint.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)

;)

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I still find myself saying "wicked!", which I'm sure hasn't been used unironically by anyone else since at least 1991.
Matt, you stole my post!

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I think wicked's has a bit of a revival, hasn't it?

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Pink - wicked as an exclamation, "This asparagus is wicked!" or wicked as an adverb "This asparagus is wicked good?"

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

If something was great, I have been known to refer to it as 'wicked'!

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

In my world, the Cure has a new "record" out.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

wicked has been pretty much constant since the late 80s no?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:36 (twenty-one years ago)

It started (in the UK, anyway) in the mid 80s, I think. But it did die off a bit for a while, was seen as a bit embarrassing, no?

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah prolly, but what am I gonna say, phat?

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

crucial!

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Bad?

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

bad meaning good?

we were trying to think of a new word for 'stealing' on Sunday. i've always liked 'taxed' which went round my school a lot - 'teefed' i was less keen on. what does a streetwise (ha) kid call a five-fingerd discount now?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

how about 'libbed' as in liberated?

nah that's just shit, hang on...

― the neurotic awakening of delbert wilkins (blueski), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

We used to used 'taxed' as in "he's taxed your lighter"!

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

forenoon

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

thrice

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

flirkin shnit

― kephm, Wednesday, 28 July 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

travashamockery

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

fortnight, ladyfriend?

― caitlin hell (caitxa), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

oh thats just peachy

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

dig

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

AWESOME

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

BBS

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i can't keep up with slang so i just say 'damfine' to evrything i like.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

oftentimes

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"Sweet!" .. Which I hated but anyway started saying in the 80's to mock the people that used that word. (Suuuu-WEET-ah) Then South Park caused it to creep back & I say it sometimes inadvertently. I've been brainwashed, and I'm ashamed.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I knew that 'fortnight' wasn't much used in America, but I didn't realise it was because it was deemed old-fashioned! That's madness, when you haven't got a cool new word to replace it with.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

get a dog, pal.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost) two weeks?

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

"Dicty," as in Ellington's "Dicty Blues"

"Mezz" and "gage" for pot.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I still refer to pot as 'tea'.

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i love "ne'erdowell."
also yeah fortnight is two weeks. i figure it is old fashioned because i only ever see it in old books; nobody says it. 2 weeks seems like an arbitrary unit of time to have its own name, but then again so is a minute, oh well.

― caitlin hell (caitxa), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, all soft drugs are 'dope' in my book.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"A nonsense" as an insult. I inherited it from my mum. It's quite medieval sounding or something.

"Dress Codes? A nonsense!"

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I go to market

― TheRealJMod (TheRealJMod), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

i think all "british" words seem out of date or uncool to americans.

― caitlin hell (caitxa), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Rapscallion.

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Pocketbook.

― Rockist_Scientist (rockist_scientist), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

a floppy (disc)
"they've got a new record out" (it makes more sense, like a record isn't the thing itself but the music)
the supermarket
walkman (even for a discman)
and I too still say ghettoblaster for any music-playing device with a handle
awesome will never get old
health care

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Lovers
Courting
Woo

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "neat" and I also say "sweet" in response to moments that please me. I was once made fun of for using the word "funky" on ILM.

― herbert hebert (herbert hebert), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I use the term 'courting' but only really to annoy the hell out of my younger cousins. My gran used to say it to me and it made me squirm - or worse still the highly embarrassing "Are you winching yet?" Winching meaning, presumably 'courting'. Well, in my grans worls anyway.....

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't actually say 'courting'. It's annoying. Well, it was funny when Mark Radcliffe said it once, but now people tend to say it with an annoying look on their faces.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"Stereo" is actually shortened from "stereo hi-fidelity set," "stereo amplifier," or something like that, isn't it? I sometimes call it the "hi-fi."

I use the word "clutch" in the same way that many people around here use "key." (i.e. "Checking your mirrors before backing out of the garage is clutch.")

I say bands have a "new record out," and I refer to CDs (or any other format) as "records." Does anybody know the etymology of "record" in this context? Does it come directly from documenting (on tape or whatever format) a performance as in "Now we have a record of the night Joe played guitar and sang?"

Does anybody still use "record album?" That made more sense when multiple LP sets still came out in those large, bound booklets like the orchestral stuff you can inevitably find at most thrift stores.

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

There's nothing anachronistic with using 'record'. The word's unspecific about the format. I use it all the time.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

('CD' is going to sound a lot more quaint in a few years time - stick with 'record'!)

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I address both men and women as "dude", but only online.

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

homie

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

winching.

― cºzen (Cozen), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

hawsome = awesome and haw-worthy

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "dig" (or "dig?") all the time .. out of date yes, uncool huh-uh.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Alba is OTM about "record."

I always thought a good slang word for "cool" would be "nautical," as it combines sounds from "gnarly," "awesome," and "radical." I've probably only said it a dozen times ever, though.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Word.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 19:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I am totally going to start saying "nautical."

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

re winching - are you sure you didn't mishear her and she actually said wenching?

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I use record, but I've noticed that tv talk show hosts always refer to a band's "cd".
Sounds cheap.

― Loose Translation: Sexy Dancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

record

dig

killer

and probably a whole host of other things

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Saying "twixt" makes me feel good.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 29 July 2004 02:15 (twenty-one years ago)

yeoman
yeomanry

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Thursday, 29 July 2004 02:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I still say record too.

Im amazed by fortnight - people here use that word all the time, I mean two weeks is kinda clunky. Had no idea it fell out of use other places.

I still say "excellent" Keanu-style. I cant help it.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 29 July 2004 06:10 (twenty-one years ago)

motherfucker

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 29 July 2004 06:16 (twenty-one years ago)

franger

and i refer to everything i like as "tops"

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 29 July 2004 06:40 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.