32°f/0°C, snowing early, windy, then clouds. High all day was only 33, after a high near 60 yesterday!
Are there words that make you cringe these days? I don't mean profanity, as the use of that is now so widespread that even the most horrible F-word is now almost passe'.
These days, though, there are words that just make my ears want to curl up and draw inside my head. Kiddos, for instance: when did all children, regardless of age, become kiddos? The word is used, it seems, for anyone from birth to 30. It sounds demeaning to me, suggesting that maturity just doesn't happen any more until adulthood is reached.
Then there's doggo, for and and all canines. Why? Why not just dog?
Curated is another over-used word, applied to everything from salad to....well, you name it. The word used to imply serious, deep research and learning to verify provenance, value, or suitability. Now even booths in vendor malls are "curated". Good grief.
Another pet peeve is the use of "reveal" as a noun. Why not revelation? It is just too long a word for our times? Gender reveal, remodel reveal, etc, etc. I just wonder when chefs will jump onto that bandwagon as they uncover that special dish in a big "reveal".
And one more---boujee. Or is it bougie? Turns out both are in use, and have slightly different meanings. This is not a word I have ever used, and don't think I am likely to, but I hear it tossed out there by the younger generations about everything from nail polish to cars to clothes, houses, parties, and so on.
Apparently bougie is slightly disparaging, meaning an affectation of luxury ways by the bourgeoisie. Boujee, on the other hand is someone who starts from a poor background, attains great wealth and the accompanying lifestyle, but stays connected to their roots. For a more detailed explanation, go here. I would hear my grandchildren tossing this word around and finally asked them what it meant, but their response indicated that they weren't exactly clear either! Still, as a slang word, I am not as bothered by it as I am reveal and curate. After all,every generation seems to invent new slang.
I could go on: deep dives and drilling down into data or a story, gotcha and "I got you", and the like. I guess I am turning into an old curmudgeon at last!
I found this very interesting as I have a keen interest on words, which always seem to be evolving. Going back a few hundred years ago we wouldn't have been able to understand anything people said. In 500 years we'll probably not be able to understand them either.
ReplyDeleteLol. At our age we have earned the right to be curmugeons. I have to say, what makes my skin crawl is people who talk as if they know the mind of God. They don't.
ReplyDelete...I hate going to a restaurant and the wait staff says what be you guys want!
ReplyDeleteI don't know bougie at all. But I have the same issue with words. I don't like "gift" being used as a verb, as in "She gifted me this." No. She gave me a gift. One should not be "gifting" but "giving." There are others too, not coming to mind, but ones politicians and pundits tend to use often.
ReplyDelete“Eat local” is a phrase that doesn’t sit well on my ear. It’s missing the noun, food.
ReplyDeleteI know language is ever evolving, but I don't like how some words are diluted now. It seems that almost everything is a superlative as the billions on social media are trying to get more views.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, wanting respect for the language. But I've got to admit, I don't hear the younger generation's lingo much, so some of these terms haven't come into my life yet.
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