149 Words

Words, Words, Words

Without words, we do not communicate. Without words, we can express our thoughts.

Most words in a culture, in a language family, stay the same for years. 

I know there are words that we have lost in the American English vocabulary that were brilliant in their time and now rarely used. 

My grandmother used the word “chuffy” often enough that I remember it. What she meant by that, I believe, was stuffy and a bit pompous. She used it to describe a fellow Episcopalian on the altar guild. You know what? I think I know some chuffy people today. 

Grandmother did not, however, ever have a “kerfuffle” with this person that I ever heard about. (Still makes sense in context, doesn’t it?) Maybe she was hoping for divine retribution as a “comeuppance” for snootiness. I will never know, but I think the thought on the right is too clever not to share! 

However (and perhaps, the older “henceforth”), I am adding some brilliant new words to my vocabulary. I love the new teen word “conversate.” Although the Merriam-Webster Dictionary calls it non-standard, it makes so much sense. We are conversing; we are having a conversation. We conversate. Is there a problem?

Other current slang that is working itself into the vernacular vocabulary is “shade.” I can throw some shade when I am irritated. Again, good ole Merriam-Webster came through with this definition: subtle, sneering expression of contempt with or disgust. Just say SHADE! and nothing else. People in the know will get the picture that you are being just a little sarcastic. 

On the other end of the spectrum, do not--unless it is Halloween--say “Boo” anymore to children and teens. Boo now means “my sweetheart.” Since my husband and I have been married for 40 years, I can safely call him “my boo.” Actually, there is a funny story how I learned this word. I was substituting in a local elementary school when a girl got up out of her seat during a lesson and walked out the door into the hallway. I asked her where she thought she was going. She said, and I kid you not, “‘my boo’ walks down the hall to lunch this time every day and he’ll be mad if I’m not there for him.” Elementary school!

I also use my friend Walter’s “

assorterate.” One can both prioritize and sort at the same time. Thus, I have been “assorterating.” And, as always, I have much assorterating I should be doing from cleaning out closets to admitting there are some magazines I need to throw out that I will never get around to reading! I think this is quite a good word.

Also, thanks to texting and Twitter, many of us now use “sup” for “what’s up with you?” I am surprised that “Gucci” is one of the hot slang terms teens use. It means it’s something good or very cool. I’m a little surprised that of all the top labels, Gucci got chosen. 

And, parents of teens, I just today picked this one up. If you see your teens post the number 9 or say “9!” be on the alert. It means they know a parent or teacher is on the alert. A new warning system?

I will leave you with the idea that some old words were great and that there are some new words that will probably stay around for a while.  I think again of my grandmother’s admonition of “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Now I can mutter “shade!” 

Or I pull out the Southern saying, “WELL, BLESS HER HEART.” This little sentence we know can mean anything from what a nice person she is to that she’s dumb as a rock and ugly, too.

               Somewhat Savvy Glenne