Words that are going out of fashion / usage

Philly_Q

Adey said:

Literally a word that literally isn't going out of fashion is literally the word "literally". It is literally used all the time. Literally.

Obviously.

Jimbro66

Along with ‘shall’ we’ve also witnessed the enforced death of the adverb during our lifetime.

guitars4you

I was having a drink the other day in the pub and bumped into an old neighbour - He knew I was now single and said 'are you courting' - The young bar girl laughed and said 'courting, no one goes courting now' 

Philly_Q

guitars4you said:

I was having a drink the other day in the pub and bumped into an old neighbour - He knew I was now single and said 'are you courting' - The young bar girl laughed and said 'courting, no one goes courting now' 

Reminds me of an old school friend who was from Llanelli and pronounced "court" as "coat".  His older sister was "coating" at the time.

Timcito

guitars4you said:

I was having a drink the other day in the pub and bumped into an old neighbour - He knew I was now single and said 'are you courting' - The young bar girl laughed and said 'courting, no one goes courting now' 

That's an activity for which the English language doesn't really have an adequate expression. In the US, it's 'dating,' of course, but when I think of the romantic relationships I've had in my life, 'dating' just doesn't cover it. I'd get to know a young woman, usually through work, we'd get very friendly, and then at some point we'd suddenly find ourselves in a close encounter. And then we were either in a relationship or nothing would come of it. Never in my life have I systematically gone for a series of planned evenings at places like bars, restaurants, or whatever where the object was to suss out whether the 'date' was worthy of a clinch or more.

I grew up with the phrase 'going out with': 'Did you know, John's going out with Jane?' Well, that's an odd expression. It sounds reminiscent of times when prospective couples 'went out walking' together, maybe with a chaperone to make sure there was no premature hanky-panky. 

I suppose the problem is that when a couple is 'together,' the essential component in it all is that they're engaged in some kind of sexual activity. However, even in our enlightened times, people search for euphemistic expressions to avoid drawing attention to this simple fact!

Springywheel

Slapper

Dominic

Timcito said:

guitars4you said:

I was having a drink the other day in the pub and bumped into an old neighbour - He knew I was now single and said 'are you courting' - The young bar girl laughed and said 'courting, no one goes courting now' 

That's an activity for which the English language doesn't really have an adequate expression. In the US, it's 'dating,' of course, but when I think of the romantic relationships I've had in my life, 'dating' just doesn't cover it. I'd get to know a young woman, usually through work, we'd get very friendly, and then at some point we'd suddenly find ourselves in a close encounter. And then we were either in a relationship or nothing would come of it. Never in my life have I systematically gone for a series of planned evenings at places like bars, restaurants, or whatever where the object was to suss out whether the 'date' was worthy of a clinch or more.

I grew up with the phrase 'going out with': 'Did you know, John's going out with Jane?' Well, that's an odd expression. It sounds reminiscent of times when prospective couples 'went out walking' together, maybe with a chaperone to make sure there was no premature hanky-panky. 

I suppose the problem is that when a couple is 'together,' the essential component in it all is that they're engaged in some kind of sexual activity. However, even in our enlightened times, people search for euphemistic expressions to avoid drawing attention to this simple fact!

Youngsters don't date , 'go out 'with anybody
They say "I'm talking to a girl/boy "..........I assume it's because half the relationship is vicariously lived via social media.

Sporky

In my day it was "person1 is shagging person2", or "bonking" for those of a more refined vernacular. 

rlw

Obliged.  Replace by obligated, which is just wrong.

We are obligated to … .     No you’re not

Dominic

What is always interesting is the etymology when a language has been left behind in a colony or former territory and becomes frozen in time as it doesn't evolve colloquially .....
My Greek friends laugh at the 'Greek' spoken by my Cypriot friends because it's almost a form of 18th century Greek that they speak.
I have a lot of Indian ( from India not UK ) friends and clients who speak " Indlish " which is their Victorian English legacy ;some of the phrases are very old/stilted .......
" We must do the needful" , something is never good ;it's "most satisfactory "
An old girlfriend's father was Bengali from Kolkata ....he would exclaim "Oh my goodness gracious,Golly-Gosh "

Dominic

I remember being about 22/23 years old ,going to dinner at a friend's parents and being asked to pass the 'condiments '
I didn't know what they meant.

Sporky

That reminds me of a variation on the Universal Retort.

Someone once said my hair was going a bit salt-and-pepper. I replied "thank you, what a lovely condiment". 

They didn't get it. 

Dominic

I sometimes work with an older gentleman ;very much a 'gentleman ' ......
If somebody messes up/lets us down......
Me ; " He's useless ,that lazy git ......can't leave him to arrange fuck-all "
Him ; " Well, he does seem to be a bit of a feeble chap "

Petepassion

Cock.
Our dad often called us cock. We were led to believe it’s a sign of affection, but I’m not so sure.

always reminds me of the Rick Mayall joke…
how do you ask a fella with no arms or legs for the time?
got the time on ya cock?

guitars4you

It’s’duff’ 

as in faulty 

guitars4you

In terms of describing a poor guitar I rarely hear anyone saying‘ it’s a dog’

Dr_Necessiter

Jackanapes, flibbertigibbet, goblet.

SteveRobinson

CORRECTAMUNDO!

Maybe no-one ever said that really?

BillDL

I remember being a bit puzzled and alarmed when I heard my grandmother referring to a young plucky-spirited and feisty lad in the street as being a "spunky young chap".

Timcito

Dominic said:

I have a lot of Indian ( from India not UK ) friends and clients who speak " Indlish " which is their Victorian English legacy ;some of the phrases are very old/stilted .......
" We must do the needful" , something is never good ;it's "most satisfactory "
An old girlfriend's father was Bengali from Kolkata ....he would exclaim "Oh my goodness gracious,Golly-Gosh "

Sounds a bit like Peter Sellers saying to Sophia Loren, "Goodness, gracious me!"