Old words you mourn the passing of

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Tinuviel

Guest
#1
Whether it is due to evolution of the word or it just went obsolete, every person I know who is interested in words has a few that they really, really wish were still in use.

What are some for you?

The one that immediately comes to mind for me is "queer." Sadness :(. It was such a descriptive word when used in its original context, and it has been totally destroyed.
 

NotmebutHim

Senior Member
May 17, 2015
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#2
I still say this word sometimes; it's what my grandfather used to say to describe someone who always complained about stuff:

"Bellyaching".
 
Aug 2, 2009
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#3
Gorgeous (got replaced by "hot")

Groovy

Rad (got replaced by 'sick')
 

EmilyNats

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2016
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#4
The one that immediately comes to mind for me is "queer." Sadness :(. It was such a descriptive word when used in its original context, and it has been totally destroyed.
My grandfather is convinced that "queer" is a bad word. Nobody can tell him otherwise!
 
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Tinuviel

Guest
#5
My grandfather is convinced that "queer" is a bad word. Nobody can tell him otherwise!
*sniff*. If I try to use it, people look at me scandalized. And try to really find a good synonym. There isn't!
 
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joefizz

Guest
#6
*sniff*. If I try to use it, people look at me scandalized. And try to really find a good synonym. There isn't!
actually there is,"queer" means peculiar or strange like for instance it's in a poem by Robert Frost,but yeah people change things to mean something it never meant,like "gay" has always meant"happy".
 
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Tinuviel

Guest
#9
actually there is,"queer" means peculiar or strange like for instance it's in a poem by Robert Frost,but yeah people change things to mean something it never meant,like "gay" has always meant"happy".
None of them have quite the same ring. At least, so I find. But I am partial to the word, and I find it to be onomatopoeic in some way. But...I don't know why. It doesn't exactly fit the definition of an onomatopoeic word :p

Gay is another sad one. But I never cared for the word anyway so they can have it...
 
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joefizz

Guest
#10
None of them have quite the same ring. At least, so I find. But I am partial to the word, and I find it to be onomatopoeic in some way. But...I don't know why. It doesn't exactly fit the definition of an onomatopoeic word :p

Gay is another sad one. But I never cared for the word anyway so they can have it...
how about odd,bizarre,weird,or surreal?
 
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Tinuviel

Guest
#13
or outlandish,or maybe perplexing.
All very good words, but you're not going to convince me ;). It is too firmly ingrained. Imagine this in a thick British accent, and then try to imagine any of those words in its place: "I say, that's rather a queer old bird, what?" Totally cheesy and overdone, but you get the point.
 
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joefizz

Guest
#14
All very good words, but you're not going to convince me ;). It is too firmly ingrained. Imagine this in a thick British accent, and then try to imagine any of those words in its place: "I say, that's rather a queer old bird, what?" Totally cheesy and overdone, but you get the point.
Yep just was trying to help,sometimes I still say ain't even though it's unnecessary lol!
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#15
The word bully. in the old days it wasn't describing a brute picking on the weak it was used to mean good or excellent
[video=youtube;RuvkQPumi8M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuvkQPumi8M[/video]
 
Aug 2, 2009
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#16
Don't forget,gnarly,radical,hip,cool,dude,and funky!
I didn't forget, I just don't mourn the passing of those words. And 'radical' is the same thing as 'rad'. And 'cool' is still used all the time.
 
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tanakh

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2015
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#17
Gay is probably one of the most ill used words around. Its original meaning was bright and colourful. There is a few old songs that are difficult to sing now because of this. One is Ill be seeing you a wartime hit sung by Vera Lynn
 
Feb 28, 2016
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#18
'darling' - such a beautiful way of expressing one's Love or fondness for someone...
 
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Depleted

Guest
#19
Whether it is due to evolution of the word or it just went obsolete, every person I know who is interested in words has a few that they really, really wish were still in use.

What are some for you?

The one that immediately comes to mind for me is "queer." Sadness :(. It was such a descriptive word when used in its original context, and it has been totally destroyed.
Gay.
Literally.
E-gads!
Breeches.
Sluff.
Little Miss Smarty Pants.
The difference between creek and creek. (First one is pronounced "crik.")


Just for starters. lol