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You are here: Home / Podcast Episodes / Obsolete Words

Obsolete Words

Obsolete Words
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Backstory  

It all started when I said to a young person, “Aw shucks.” It was meant to be a joke. But she had no idea what that meant.  I realized she had probably never heard the comment. Oh dear!  I had used language that is no longer spoken. I’m a dinosaur!

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Obsolete Words –  #648

Someone sent me an email with obsolete words. They are the words or phrase that were common in our youth, that are never heard today.

Some would be considered politically incorrect – Like the Honeymooners’ threat to “send his wife to the moon.”  When there was a guilty person to be found, you might hear – “The milkman did it.”  Today’s kids would have no idea who that was.

How about – “Hey! It’s your nickel: . . . “Don’t forget to pull the chain” . . . “Knee high to a grasshopper.”

A junk car was known as a jalopy.  When is the last time you heard – jalopy?

To someone repeating themselves, you might say – “You sound like a broken record.”  Sure has no relevance today.

Believe it or not, a darn good cuss word was – “Fiddlesticks!” A really cool exit greeting – “I’ll see you in the funny papers.” A caution – “Don’t take any wooden nickels.”

And now, those words are obsolete. The words we grew up with have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues. our pens or our keyboards.

There was a time when we owned those words, and were so cool to know them. And now, they are heard no more, except in our collective memory. And I’d say that’s – okey dokey.  See ya later, alligator.

P.S.   

So what forgotten phrases did this story conjure up for you?  Write them down in COMMENTS, below, and share them with us all.

[Show #648]

Filed Under: Getting Older, Podcast Episodes, Remembering, Words Tagged With: language, obsolete language

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elsie says

    September 30, 2019 at

    See ya’ later, alligator…in awhile, crocodile.

    Reply
    • Annette Petrick says

      October 5, 2019 at

      You are so cool, Elsie.

      Reply
      • Annette Petrick says

        October 28, 2019 at

        And you are so sweet. Served tiny cheesecake squares on your beautiful plate, Elsie, at my birthday party. Guests really admired that design as the confectiom disappeared.

        Reply
    • Annette Petrick says

      October 28, 2019 at

      Now YOU are so cool.

      Reply
  2. Ken Reid says

    September 29, 2019 at

    After while crocodile! ❤️❤️👍

    Reply
    • Annette Petrick says

      October 28, 2019 at

      I remember it well. It’s been such fun to see the words people sent, in reply to this story. Good to hear from you, Ken.

      Reply
  3. William Dan Dobson says

    September 29, 2019 at

    Cruisin’ for a bruisin’, Daddy-O, Made in the shade, Burn rubber, Greaser, Passion pit, Classy Chassis, Knuckle sandwich, Fat city, Don’t flip your wig, Far out
    to mention a few LOL

    Reply
    • Annette Petrick says

      October 28, 2019 at

      It’s been such fun to see the words people sent, in reply to this story.

      Reply

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