Passe' words and phrases

[Braxton36]

On another thread it was briefly mentioned that certain words and phrases from bygone eras are still in use in certain areas or by certain people. Does anyone hold onto any in particular?

I'll admit to: tin foil, (instead of alumimum foil) pocketbook (instead of purse)and ice box (instead of refrigerator). I also like to use "groovy" - but only because it embarrasses my children so much.

 

[fortworthgal]

I've got quite a few, but I'm not really sure if they're from a bygone era, or just from growing up in the country. lol

"Finest thing since granulated sugar."
"She looks at him like he hung the moon."

 

[Novella]

I use tin foil too. I was just taking down some birthday decorations yesterday that I'd made out of tin foil and one of my roommates remarked on how we still say tin foil even though it's not made out of tin. Does anyone know when it was made out of tin and when/why it changed to aluminum?

I can't think of any different ones off the top of my head right now. Mostly I think I reference older things that my Mom would say or song lyrics that she'd sing when I was growing up. Things like "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose" and talking about goesintas and goesoutas when talking about money going in and out of my bank account (Beverly Hillbillies I think?).

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I've been infecting my cousin's two young daughters with "Vintage-Speak" - they don't refer to "girls" or "ladies" anymore - everyone's "doll." I've also got them using "cat's meow" and "polar bear's pajamas" and "bee's knees" among others. I've been told their grandmother almost died laughing when the 5-year-old came in, gave her a hug and said "You're one heck of a great broad."

 

[Haversack]

Well, in betrayal of both my age and where I grew up:

"That was a real E-ticket ride!"

Haversack

 

[Veronica Parra]

My husband says "tin can". He says its easier than "aluminum can".

Only a few years ago, I learned the term "laptop computer". Now people say "notebook computer".

 

[Novella]

Only a few years ago, I learned the term "laptop computer". Now people say "notebook computer".

I still say laptop and everyone around me still says laptop. Notebook computer sounds funny, although I have heard it in advertisements for laptops.

 

[Zach R.]

If it makes you feel any better, I use the terms "laptop" and "tin foil"

 

[Paisley]

"Light the oven," even though my oven is self-lighting.

"Thee," as in "I love thee." I use this only on my dog, but I don't use "thy" or "thou." I don't know where I picked it up.

My mom still says "oleo."

 

[Veronica Parra]

Here is one that I hope will go away very soon: "Woohoo".

 

[Cobden]

I use tin foil; I think most people in the UK do. Cans are just "tins" here too.

The one I use is "extinguish the lights" as opposed to "switch off the lights". No idea why!

 

[Veronica Parra]

We Chileans still call our plumbers "gasfitters", although electricity replaced gas lighting there 100 years ago.

 

[Paisley]

Here is one that I hope will go away very soon: "Woohoo".

Amen. That should be the exclusive property of Homer Simpson.

Back to the topic, I've never said this phrase, but I've thought it on crowded nights at swing dance clubs: "the joint is jumpin'."

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

How about "Tomato," referring to a woman?

"She's a real sad tomato,
she's a busted valentine..."

 

[Senator Jack]

I still say tin foil and tin can. I also use 'jack' for cash ("That suit's a lotta jack") but I seem to have exclusive rights to that term these days. Occasionally I'l use 'scratch' instead - does anyone still use that term?

When I was a kid we still had guys around the neighborhood who said 'flat' instead of apartment and once in a while it'll just come out. People think I'm tring to be pretentiously British, but flat was the common term for 'apartment' in this country till the 50s - till some wiseguy real estate agents changed it to 'apartment'. (By that time, the word 'flat' had negative connotations, as in, 'cold water flat'.)

Does anyone else use the phrase 'at sixes and sevens' to denote an argument? Perhaps that's really British these days. I don't know.

Others I still use:

'That's a gas.'
'Fin' and 'Sawbuck' for fives and tens.
'Hi-Fi' : Do kids still use this term?
'Hi-Test': This always confuses gas attendents. I can't help it. We always called premium hi-test when I was a kid.
'Movie House': A kid co-worker laughed at me when I said this a few years back. I didn't realize it was dated. 'Theater, Jack. Movie theater,' he said.
'Cocktail glass': I'm adamant about this. That triangle glass is not a 'Martini' glass, it's a Cocktail Glass

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I learned from my father. To say that there is no difference between two propositions:

"Six and two threes" or "six and half a dozen"

I thought "at sixes and sevens" was to be in a quandary. Anyone still use the word quandary?

For all the yorkshiremen: "Wazzock!" Is wazzock still used? I still use it. Basically means moron, i believe. My chemistry teacher used to use it all the time ...

bk

 

[Senator Jack]

I thought "at sixes and sevens" was to be in a quandary. Anyone still use the word quandary?

I remember hearing it in the context of 'Aaah, my wife an I are at sixes and sevens.' I thought is was a charming phrase and quickly adopted it, but perhaps it's meaning had mutated by then (like 'decimate' and 'begs the question').

The politically incorrect phrase I still use is "Chinese fire drill". Sorry!

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[scotrace]

Similar to "A Chinaman's Chance"

Migrant Chinese workers were used in mines to light the dynamite.

"There's not a Chinaman's Chance of finding a Stratoliner hat for under $20"

I still say tinfoil, tin can, tramp ("don't tramp in that!"), all over ("my shoes are all over mud") and oleo.
I suspect a lot of that stuff from around here comes from anglicized German. Or Amishisms, like "Ain't so?" (he's handsome, ain't so?", red (you have to red up your room before you can go out and play," and Daresn't (you daresn't play with matches")

One oddity of my immediate area: Green peppers are always called "Mangoes," by the natives. Many also say "Warsh his hands," which always comes out "warsheezands." The nation's capital is "Warshington, DC."

I kind of collect these.



.

 

[fortworthgal]

I also use 'jack' for cash ("That suit's a lotta jack") but I seem to have exclusive rights to that term these days. Occasionally I'l use 'scratch' instead - does anyone still use that term?

I use 'scratch' all the time!

 

[katiemakeup]

My mom still says "oleo."

What is oleo? I have heard most all of the phrases listed above, and I am sure in context though, people can kind of figure out what they mean!