Terms Which Have Disappeared

[KILO NOVEMBER]

My grandmother always referred to her couch as "The Davenport" of course at one time it really was a Davenport.

Ditto for my father's mother.

 

[rjb1]

"When was the last time you were doing anything "in high cotton"? I used to hear that all the time...not so much anymore."

My dad said that a lot, and he picked cotton when he was a boy in Alabama.
However, and this is for mature audiences only, his complete phrase was that someone was "Sh--ting in high cotton", which meant not so much that someone was prospering, but that their situation was a good one, and in the direct meaning of the phrase that they were conducting their business "in high cotton" where they had a bit of privacy. Another similar meaning is that someone "had it made" if they were doing that in high cotton.
Another colorful Southernism... (and my dad was a colorful southerner)

 

[dh66]

"When was the last time you were doing anything "in high cotton"? I used to hear that all the time...not so much anymore."

My dad said that a lot, and he picked cotton when he was a boy in Alabama.
However, and this is for mature audiences only, his complete phrase was that someone was "Sh--ting in high cotton", which meant not so much that someone was prospering, but that their situation was a good one, and in the direct meaning of the phrase that they were conducting their business "in high cotton" where they had a bit of privacy. Another similar meaning is that someone "had it made" if they were doing that in high cotton.
Another colorful Southernism... (and my dad was a colorful southerner)

Thank you for throwing that out there. I too have always heard the term used in that context, but was hesitant to bring it up.
But since you have "broken the barrier" I will bring up another equally colorful southernism; "brick sh-t house" in reference to something well made or high quality

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[Tomasso]

Not sure that is an exclusivly Southern phrase.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Not sure that is an exclusivly Southern phrase.

It was popularized in the North by baseball broadcaster Red Barber. When the Dodgers had three men on base and nobody out and Camilli coming to bat, they were said to be "walkin' in tall cotton."

As for the other phrase, the one referring to a masonry privy, that one has always been universal.

 

[dh66]

As for the other phrase, the one referring to a masonry privy, that one has always been universal.

Glad to know that actually. I'd never heard it in parts abroad.

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[HudsonHawk]

"When was the last time you were doing anything "in high cotton"? I used to hear that all the time...not so much anymore."

My dad said that a lot, and he picked cotton when he was a boy in Alabama.
However, and this is for mature audiences only, his complete phrase was that someone was "Sh--ting in high cotton", which meant not so much that someone was prospering, but that their situation was a good one, and in the direct meaning of the phrase that they were conducting their business "in high cotton" where they had a bit of privacy. Another similar meaning is that someone "had it made" if they were doing that in high cotton.
Another colorful Southernism... (and my dad was a colorful southerner)

That's how I typically heard the phrase as well, but never in reference to privacy. "Doing your business in high cotton" simply meant you were doing well for yourself.

 

[HudsonHawk]

It was popularized in the North by baseball broadcaster Red Barber. When the Dodgers had three men on base and nobody out and Camilli coming to bat, they were said to be "walkin' in tall cotton."

As for the other phrase, the one referring to a masonry privy, that one has always been universal.

Which makes sense, as Barber was a Southerner. He was also famous for other Southern colloquialisms such as "tearin' up the pea patch", "can o' corn" and his most famous "sittin' in the catbird seat".

As for the masonry privy, it was almost always in reference to a woman's figure.

 

[rjb1]

With Red Barber from Mississippi, Dizzy Dean from Arkansas, and PeeWee Reese from Kentucky, I think their baseball broadcasts were responsible for getting a lot of Southernisms into the general vocabulary.
I wasn't that much of a baseball fan, but I certainly liked to listen to Ole Diz and PeeWee cover the games.
I still remember one game in which Peewee was ribbing Diz about how pitchers can't hit. Just as they were finishing that exchange, the pitcher hit a home run. Diz busted out laughing and said, "That'll lern ya, dern ya!" (another phrase I haven't heard in a while)

(I think Red was toning the phrase down when he said "walkin' in tall cotton". Those who knew the true phrase got his meaning.)

 

[Renault]

That's how I typically heard the phrase as well, but never in reference to privacy. "Doing your business in high cotton" simply meant you were doing well for yourself.

If you've never picked cotton it's back breaking. Lots of bending over. High cotton meant you didn't have to bend over as far to get to it. Especially when pulling a cotton sack behind you! Made things a little easier. Another phrase from the patch was "getting in the short rows" . Many fields were plowed and planted diagonally. When you was getting down to the short rows the you wasn't far from finished.

I come from a long line of cotton pickers and sharecroppers.

 

[1930artdeco]

sitting in the cat bird's seat....I have not heard that one in a long time.

Mike

 

[vitanola]

Old Biddy, Fishwife, Crone, Termagent, Shrew, Hussy, Coquette, Jezebel, Doxy, Hoochie, Minx, Quean, Trollope, Trull.

Perhaps a few of these terms are best consigned to the ash-heap of history.

Remember that to this day the operation which removes the generative organs of the female of our species is referred to by a term which suggests the excision of the insanity, whilst the analogous operation when performed on the man is named after the removal of a beautiful flower.

Oddly enough, I believe that the misogyny of the old days, being more direct, was less dangerous. Anyone who listens for long to the conversation of the common modern collegiate boy will find a far more direct, and to my mind corrosive attitude toward the female in general.

Miss Maine may well be able to better explain the changes in these attitudes over time, being both a more astute observer and more articulate expostulist than I.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Old Biddy, Fishwife, Crone, Termagent, Shrew, Hussy, Coquette, Jezebel, Doxy, Hoochie, Minx, Quean, Trollope, Trull.

Around here there's Old Biddies -- harmless middle-aged or older women who belong to the WSCS and volunteer at all the bean suppers, and have those "fat fanny" plywood cutouts on their lawns, and Old Bags, who work in factories, play beano at the VFW, know words that would make a sailor blush, bet on horse races, tell you exactly what they think, and couldn't care less what you think.

I am descended from a long line of Old Bags.

As for misogyny, modern culture reeks of it. It honestly and truly does. And it's not just college boys or street-corner thugs. You'll find it coming out of the mouths of the most refined "gentlemen" of the modern era. They veil it, but veiling it is like hanging a pine-tree air freshener on a compost pile.

 

[Zombie_61]

Old Biddy, Fishwife, Crone, Termagent, Shrew, Hussy, Coquette, Jezebel, Doxy, Hoochie, Minx, Quean, Trollope, Trull...

Similarly, except in a more positive way, the word "Toots" as a *term of endearment one might use in the same way as "Babe", "Honey", or "Dear". I use it to get my wife's attention, and have for many years, but I don't know anyone else who does.



*I am aware the word can have a negative connotation depending upon the context in which it's used, but I've never actually heard it used or used it in that way myself.

 

[Shangas]

Old Biddy, Fishwife, Crone, Termagent, Shrew, Hussy, Coquette, Jezebel, Doxy, Hoochie, Minx, Quean, Trollope, Trull...

I've heard (or used)...

Old Biddy, crone, hussy, trollop/e, fishwife, Shrew (but not outside Shakespeare). Coquette. I've heard Jezebel, but at the time, I didn't know what it meant! I've also heard Doxy, and Minx.

I've also heard one which isn't mentioned here: Harlot.

I admit to sometimes calling my grandmother an old biddy. But that's because she was. A sweet, but absent-minded old lady.

The others I've never used and/or heard.

Similarly, except in a more positive way, the word "Toots" as a *term of endearment one might use in the same way as "Babe", "Honey", or "Dear".

*ahem*

[video=youtube;nTCHVGN_-lQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTCHVGN_-lQ[/video]

 

[3fingers]

I've also heard one which isn't mentioned here: Harlot.

Don't forget chippy and strumpet.

 

[GHT]

At a previous address, we had a lovely elderly couple live next door. We also had two cats, one of which lived for 21 years. She was affectionately known as: "The Old Biddy." It caused much amusement when the lady next door admitted that the first time she heard us call the old biddy, she thought that we were refering to her.
In Brit speak, the term "Dear," can be both patronising and endearing. It depends how it's said. About 20/30 years ago it was given a new lease of life, when the late film director, turned resaurant critic, Michael Winner, he of 'Death Wish' fame, did a series of television commercials for an insurance company. If you have never seen them, here's an abridged version to amuse you. We had schoolkids saying "Calm down dear!"
[video=youtube;efl5pFTFnBU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efl5pFTFnBU[/video]

 

[Zombie_61]

...In Brit speak, the term "Dear," can be both patronising and endearing. It depends how it's said...

I think that could be said of any term of endearment; it's all about context and inflection.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I've heard Jezebel, but at the time, I didn't know what it meant! I've also heard Doxy, and Minx.

A little weak on your Old Testament, eh?

 

[rue]

Kids today probably wouldn't know what you meant by the phrase "hang up the phone".

With automatic windows being the standard norm in cars for decades now, do people still say "roll down the window?" What else would you say - put the window down? Buzz down the window? Open the window? Or do they still say roll down the window without knowing you used to have to literally roll down the window?

We still say roll up the windows, but then again, my car is from 1954