Terms Which Have Disappeared

[tonyb]

I called somebody of outmoded, moss-covered views a "back issue" today and raised a look of puzzlement.

I don't recall hearing that phrase used to mean that, but I'd think that most grown people could decipher that meaning from context. I've referred to some aspirants to political office as "yesterday's news," which means essentially the same thing, and I doubt anyone was at a loss as to my meaning.

 

[BlueTrain]

I've heard "yesterday's news" but not "back-issue." Today's expression is "so five minutes ago."

 

[Fading Fast]

I've heard "yesterday's news" but not "back-issue." Today's expression is "so five minutes ago."

I didn't know we were allowed to have just expressions today, I thought they all had to be initials that reflected expressions, LOL (puke*).

* Not an initialization.

 

[BlueTrain]

Well, if you've ever been in the army, you will know that abbreviations are used for almost everything. It dates back to when teletype machines first began to be used a great deal. That and to shorten orders by using a lot of abbreviations, some of which, like rank abbreviations were shortened again to conform to a given style. Capt. went to CPT and so on. There's TWX, TDY, ETS, etc., etc. And then there's CB radio talk. You copy?

 

[Zombie_61]

Well, if you've ever been in the army, you will know that abbreviations are used for almost everything. It dates back to when teletype machines first began to be used a great deal. That and to shorten orders by using a lot of abbreviations, some of which, like rank abbreviations were shortened again to conform to a given style. Capt. went to CPT and so on. There's TWX, TDY, ETS, etc., etc. And then there's CB radio talk. You copy?

"Excuse me, sir. Seeing as how the V.P. is such a V.I.P., shouldn't we keep the P.C. on the Q.T.? 'Cause if it leaks to the V.C. he could end up M.I.A., and then we'd all be put out in K.P."
Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

 

[LizzieMaine]

It annoys me when baseball fans use standardized three-letter abbreviations for teams instead of spelling it out. CWS instead of "White Sox," LAA instead of "Angels," "NYM" instead of Mets, and so forth. I realize interleague play has made it necessary to use such abbreviations on scoreboards instead of just "Chi," "LA," or "NY," but it still bugs me.

I liked the old non-standardized abbreviations better. "Chic'go," "Milw'kee," "Kan. City," "St. Lou."

The ultimate annoyance, though, is when they talk about "MLB." If you want that kind of thing go follow the NBA or the NHL or the NFL. And if they say "The MLB" I'm going to hunt them down and hit them with a bat.

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ , I think that is just part of the Millennial trend to abbreviate everything (which was what my prior post was hinting / snarking at). In part, texting on these small phone keypads encourages this (and makes sense as they are no joy to type on), but once it takes off, it becomes a cultural tick which is where I think it is at now.

That said, some level of abbreviating words has always had currency with the young. "Natch" for "naturally" was a cool expression back in the '40s, for example.

 

[MisterCairo]

"Natch" for "naturally" was a cool expression back in the '40s, for example.

Abbreviations and such are hardly new.

Capt. went to CPT and so on. There's TWX, TDY, ETS, etc., etc. And then there's CB radio talk. You copy?

In Canada, we still use Capt, but your TDY (temporary duty) is reduced by a third up here simply to TD (why the y???)!

 

[2jakes]

Abbreviations and such are hardly new.



In Canada, we still use Capt, but your TDY (temporary duty) is reduced by a third up here simply to TD (why the y???)!

Temporary Duty Yonder. (military slang)

Temporarily Divorced for a Year. (service member slang)

The above regretfully does not apply to civilian men.

 

[Upgrade]

I recall an episode of Three's Company (pre-Don Knotts) where Mrs. Roper just got the mail in.

"Chrissy, you can't put an IOU on a COD, they'll call the FBI!"

 

[2jakes]

The Odd Couple (1968) - Quotes from the movie:

(Oscar to Felix)

"...you leave me little notes on my pillow...F.U."

"Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Ungar!"

 

[Fading Fast]

The Odd Couple (1968) - Quotes from the movie:

(Oscar to Felix)

"...you leave me little notes on my pillow...F.U."

"Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Ungar!"

That might have been the best line in the entire movie.

 

[Stanley Doble]

For no apparent reason today I remembered this anecdote.... I think it was the Arthur Godfrey radio program at least it was an interview program, that was sponsored by Sta Puf fabric softener. The host kept trying to work the sponsor's product into the conversation but his guest seemed to be oblivious. Finally he asked point blank "do you know what Sta Puf is?" and the guest replied "Is it a brand of falsies?"

When did you last hear falsies mentioned?

 

[Stearmen]

Temporary Duty Yonder. (military slang)

Temporarily Divorced for a Year. (service member slang)

Does not apply to civilian men.

Just keep it on the QT!

 

[BlueTrain]

"On the QT!" is an expression that jumped out at me from an old movie. That's another one you don't hear anymore.

True, abbreviations have been around for a long time. Think of all the railroads that were known by initials. There were also the abbreviations used on the stock exchanges. In the military, however, I think there was apparently a standard three letter format that was followed but that's only a guess.

 

[Bigger Don]

Has anyone said "No Dice" or "Fat Chance" recently?

A big "Ayup!" to "Fat Chance".

 

[HudsonHawk]

It annoys me when baseball fans use standardized three-letter abbreviations for teams instead of spelling it out. CWS instead of "White Sox," LAA instead of "Angels," "NYM" instead of Mets, and so forth. I realize interleague play has made it necessary to use such abbreviations on scoreboards instead of just "Chi," "LA," or "NY," but it still bugs me.

I liked the old non-standardized abbreviations better. "Chic'go," "Milw'kee," "Kan. City," "St. Lou."

The ultimate annoyance, though, is when they talk about "MLB." If you want that kind of thing go follow the NBA or the NHL or the NFL. And if they say "The MLB" I'm going to hunt them down and hit them with a bat.

I feel the same about abbreviating state names. The abbreviation for Florida is "Fla.", not "FL", despite the post office's insistence.

 

[2jakes]

I catch myself asking people:

"What's your 20?"
Or
"I'm 10- 8 , you copy?

And for a moment wondering
but quick to realize that not
everybody speaks the "10 code"
like I have done for many years
in the news department.
A habit that is hard to separate
when communicating with
civilians.

 

[BlueTrain]

I was under the impression that the 10 code was only used by civilians. At least they don't use it in the military that I recall. But if you're referring to the use of those codes by the police, like Broderick Crawford did, they are civilian police, not the military police.

I still have to look up airport codes.

 

[LizzieMaine]

All I can remember of 10-codes is that a 10-55 is a car accident, and 10-20 is "I'm at Dunkin's."