Words that have changed meanings.

[King Nuts]

I'll touch base with you tomorrow but meanwhile can you, like,  diarise our next meeting so we can drill down on the issue.

Almost complete. You need to add 'So' at the beginning and 'going forward' at the end. And you have to bung in 'deep dive' somewhere.

So I'll touch base with you tomorrow but meanwhile can you, like, do a deep-dive on the report and diarise our next meeting so we can drill down on the issue going forward.

[Rocket Scientist]

Almost complete. You need to add 'So' at the beginning and 'going forward' at the end. And you have to bung in 'deep dive' somewhere.

So I'll touch base with you tomorrow but meanwhile can you, like, do a deep-dive on the report and diarise our next meeting so we can drill down on the issue going forward.

let me add, "lets meet to make sure your ducks are lined up".  Now this sounds more like my place of work

[Thephoenix]

Yes...... How did 'So' become so trendy.
So.... I thought it was just me finding it annoying.
It's funny how these trends suddenly take off. Where did it come from?

What did we say before 'So?'.......and don't say 'Fa'

Was it' Well'  or just 'Erm'......or nowt?

[Ali Katt]

Yes...... How did 'So' become so trendy.
So.... I thought it was just me finding it annoying.
It's funny how these trends suddenly take off. Where did it come from?

What did we say before 'So?'.......and don't say 'Fa'

Was it' Well'  or just 'Erm'......or nowt?

It came from American valley girls or possibly stoned surfers. Did Sean Penn say it in Fast Times? I think it's more late 80s. Obviously people were brought up on things like saved by the bell, Wayne's world and clueless. The idea is NOT to sound too sure of yourself, a sort of false modesty. Then it just filtered diwn from gen x to millenial to gen y and z.

How did a surfer phrase "how's it hanging?" come into UK usage? The same way.

[King Nuts]

It came from American valley girls or possibly stoned surfers. Did Sean Penn say it in Fast Times? I think it's more late 80s. Obviously people were brought up on things like saved by the bell, Wayne's world and clueless. The idea is NOT to sound too sure of yourself, a sort of false modesty. Then it just filtered diwn from gen x to millenial to gen y and z.

How did a surfer phrase "how's it hanging?" come into UK usage? The same way.

Sometimes, it does go the other way though. I've notice that while Americans have always called mobile phones 'cellphones', that the useage of 'mobile phone' has crept up in recent times.

Also, they stuck to terms we abandoned long ago, like 'Fall'. 'Fall' is old English and got replaced by 'Autumn' at some point when French-derived words were considered more appropriate.

[Ali Katt]

Sometimes, it does go the other way though. I've notice that while Americans have always called mobile phones 'cellphones', that the useage of 'mobile phone' has crept up in recent times.

Also, they stuck to terms we abandoned long ago, like 'Fall'. 'Fall' is old English and got replaced by 'Autumn' at some point when French-derived words were considered more appropriate.

True that. A lot of Anglophiles in America. You can see that with the success of Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, Austenland etc.

[sparkus]

True that. A lot of Anglophiles in America. You can see that with the success of Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, Austenland etc.

It's the kewt Briddish accents.

[jimmyinreading]

My mother in law once asked a family gathering if anyone had seen her muff.

[Thephoenix]

What we need if Professor Stanley Unwin to explain it all.... (Tried a YouTube link, but I'm really fuckin useless at links, kept on saying video not available?)

Hoping someone less thick will do a link because I think he's brilliant .

[winkywanky]

To the point of being awesome? Another word that is overused so much it has actually become meaningless rather than having aquired a new meaning.

Or in the US, todally arsum  

[jimmyinreading]

As for wanky business speak, I don’t know where this one came from but people saying they’re going to “speak to” something. Eg. “I’m going to speak to our sales numbers” or “this speaks to our budget concerns”. It’s pretty rare, but meaningless.

[winkywanky]

What we need if Professor Stanley Unwin to explain it all.... (Tried a YouTube link, but I'm really fuckin useless at links, kept on saying video not available?)

Hoping someone less thick will do a link because I think he's brilliant .

Happy to help: External Link/Members Only 

[jimmyinreading]

American term “co-ed”. It’s modern use now bears zero relation to its literal meaning. And Americans are shite at using cutlery.

[Thephoenix]

My mother in law once asked a family gathering if anyone had seen her muff.

I got married on one of the coldest days of the year many moons ago, and my wife had suggested the 3 bridesmaids wear fur muffs instead of holding bouquets.

Difficult to keep a straight face when the photos were being taken, one of the old grannies was heard to say....'Don't the bridesmaid's muffs look lovely?'

[winkywanky]

American term “co-ed”. It’s modern use now bears zero relation to its literal meaning. And Americans are shite at using cutlery.

Am I right in thinking they don't routinely use a knife at the table, just a fork?

[winkywanky]

I got married on one of the coldest days of the year many moons ago, and my wife had suggested the 3 bridesmaids wear fur muffs instead of holding bouquets.

Difficult to keep a straight face when the photos were being taken, one of the old grannies was heard to say....'Don't the bridesmaid's muffs look lovely?'

 

[WARSZAWA16]

What we need if Professor Stanley Unwin to explain it all.... (Tried a YouTube link, but I'm really fuckin useless at links, kept on saying video not available?)
Hoping someone less thick will do a link because I think he's brilliant .

I remember him in the film Carry On Regardless:

External Link/Members Only

[WARSZAWA16]

Am I right in thinking they don't routinely use a knife at the table, just a fork?

Yes, they tend to cut everything up into bite size pieces with their knife initially and then "spear" the pieces with their fork to eat it.

[The Film Director]

How about 'we're across this news story'  I assume this is another Americanism 

[winkywanky]

Yes, they tend to cut everything up into bite size pieces with their knife initially and then "spear" the pieces with their fork to eat it.

I guess that's to make sure everything on the plate is dead in the first instance, end then shovel it in the gob at leisure afterwards  .

[WARSZAWA16]

Who's for "360 degree feedback"? We can "run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it". And then "touch base".

[sparkus]

"You guys" - just no 

[sparkus]

Who's for "360 degree feedback"? We can "run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it". And then "touch base".

I'm glad we're on the same page about that.

[King Nuts]

Who's for "360 degree feedback"? We can "run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it". And then "touch base".

As it's coming up to 7pm, I thought I'd action a visit to Tesco and leverage the acquisition of some groceries. I can source the low hanging fruit of the 'special offers' section.

[Thephoenix]

I remember him in the film Carry On Regardless:

External Link/Members Only

Oh deep joy the wordybold.

[mr.bluesky]

I'll touch base with you tomorrow but meanwhile can you, like,  diarise our next meeting so we can drill down on the issue.

Thank God I'm well retired!

"Pushing the envelope " " everybody singing from the same hymn sheet" "  all totally pointless figures of speech 

[mr.bluesky]

It came from American valley girls or possibly stoned surfers. Did Sean Penn say it in Fast Times? I think it's more late 80s. Obviously people were brought up on things like saved by the bell, Wayne's world and clueless. The idea is NOT to sound too sure of yourself, a sort of false modesty. Then it just filtered diwn from gen x to millenial to gen y and z.

How did a surfer phrase "how's it hanging?" come into UK usage? The same way.

If someone asks me "how's it hanging" just reply "low and lazy" 

[Squire Haggard]

I remember him in the film Carry On Regardless:

External Link/Members Only

Deep joy. Never seen  before.

I knew him best with music for the eardroves.

External Link/Members Only

[tesla]

"Pushing the envelope "
  all totally pointless figures of speech 

I think this is actually used by test pilots IE test the the plane to it's full capability

[King Nuts]

"Pushing the envelope " " everybody singing from the same hymn sheet" "  all totally pointless figures of speech 

I think those sayings showed up around the time some people started saying 'thinking outside the box' and 'blue sky thinking'.

[A Decent Fist]

I think this is actually used by test pilots IE test the the plane to it's full capability

"Heads Up" comes from a similar source – the Heads Up Display that shows flight data to pilots without them having to look down.

Now it's "let me give you guys a quick heads-up on this" instead of the simple "let me give you a short explanation".

[King Nuts]

Here's another one. 'Welcome to the UK Border'.

External Link/Members Only

Well, for a start, it's not a border. It's a room in the middle of an airport in the middle of what used to be called Middlesex (if that's LHR and it sure looks like it.)

And why would you welcome someone to a border? Who has ever wanted to feel that a 'border' welcomes them? A border is something you want to put behind you as soon as possible.

What's wrong with 'Welcome to the UK'? Be nice. People queueing up have sat on a plane maybe for hours, and now they're queueing because there's never enough of you fuckers manning the desks.

Fucking useless Border Force. Again.

[catweazle]

let me add, "lets meet to make sure your ducks are lined up".  Now this sounds more like my place of work

Did you run the idea up the flagpole to see who salutes it?

[sparkus]

Did you run the idea up the flagpole to see who salutes it?

Bizarrely this reminds me of a mate who used to say "If you get off with a bird in a club and it's early, get your dick out under the table and see what she does.  If she runs off or isn't enthusiastic you've got a couple of hours to pull someone else who you might have more luck with."

[sparkus]

Look chaps, I know we need to hit the ground running but we also need to do a deep dive and focus on our deliverables here.

Thoughts by COP please.

[winkywanky]

Bizarrely this reminds me of a mate who used to say "If you get off with a bird in a club and it's early, get your dick out under the table and see what she does.  If she runs off or isn't enthusiastic you've got a couple of hours to pull someone else who you might have more luck with."

This is based on the if you throw enough shit some of it will stick principle, well used and loved by guys since time immemorial.

[King Nuts]

Look chaps, I know we need to hit the ground running but we also need to do a deep dive and focus on our deliverables here.

Thoughts by COP please.

OK, but I have limited bandwidth today and I know Marcus's team are having some core competency issues with adapting to new behaviours, so rather than just herding cats to make ourselves buzzword compliant, can we just ball park the numbers, going forward?

[Thephoenix]

OK, but I have limited bandwidth today and I know Marcus's team are having some core competency issues with adapting to new behaviours, so rather than just herding cats to make ourselves buzzword compliant, can we just ball park the numbers, going forward?

Think that sums it up quite nicely...... Can I say nicely?

[sparkus]

OK, but I have limited bandwidth today and I know Marcus's team are having some core competency issues with adapting to new behaviours, so rather than just herding cats to make ourselves buzzword compliant, can we just ball park the numbers, going forward?

I'm glad we're on task with this.

[Arfa2stroke]

I'm glad we're on task with this.

But ensure we’re on point

Arghhhhh!

Also the word scat was something my gran would shout at the cat

[snaitram99]

Look chaps, I know we need to hit the ground running but we also need to do a deep dive and focus on our deliverables here.

Thoughts by COP please.

Sorry I missed COP yesterday but assuming it stands for Close of Play, that has been around for years, particularly in the Civil Service, and I've always taken it to be a cricketing analogy. 

[WARSZAWA16]

Sorry I missed COP yesterday but assuming it stands for Close of Play, that has been around for years, particularly in the Civil Service, and I've always taken it to be a cricketing analogy. 

My old boss who was a nice old boy and very old school used to say "by stumps" when he wanted anything done that day.

[sparkus]

Sorry I missed COP yesterday but assuming it stands for Close of Play, that has been around for years, particularly in the Civil Service, and I've always taken it to be a cricketing analogy. 

I know it means that but it's now banded around willy-nilly by people who don't even know what the initials stand for.

"Need it PDQ" used to get on my nerves but you never hear it now.

[Corus Boy]

"Pushing the envelope " " everybody singing from the same hymn sheet" "  all totally pointless figures of speech 

Hidden Image/Members Only

Hidden Image/Members Only

[Corus Boy]

Lush!

When younger;

Lush is defined as a person who drinks or is drunk a lot. An example of a lush is a person who spends a lot of their time in a bar.

Now;

If you describe a thing as lush, you mean that it is very attractive or appealing.

[winkywanky]

Worryingly, I think perhaps the meaning of (a) Lush is still the same, if you're in a bar and pissed you probably are seen as appealing.

[sparkus]

Lush!

When younger;

Lush is defined as a person who drinks or is drunk a lot. An example of a lush is a person who spends a lot of their time in a bar.

Now;

If you describe a thing as lush, you mean that it is very attractive or appealing.

I think one word can more than one meaning and in this case the use of "a" before it (eg. "a lush") defines the context of one over the other.

[lostandfound]

Lush!

When younger;

Lush is defined as a person who drinks or is drunk a lot. An example of a lush is a person who spends a lot of their time in a bar.

Now;

If you describe a thing as lush, you mean that it is very attractive or appealing.

Agree with Sparkus, it's two long established meanings of the same word (or two etymologically separate derivations that arrived at the same sound and spelling).

[sparkus]

Agree with Sparkus, it's two long established meanings of the same word (or two etymologically separate derivations that arrived at the same sound and spelling).

The first time I heard it in the drunken context I was baffled as I thought they meant the booze-sodden hag was desirable/attractive.

It's probably a misrendering of louche.

[Thephoenix]

Hidden Image/Members Only

Hidden Image/Members Only

Sounds like fun.

The other game is to be given a word that must be used in every telephone call....... Obviously can only be tried within an office environment, so it can be checked. 
The level of difficulty = the most obscure or funny word and without laughing obviously.

A good challenge for vocabulary, communication skills and self control.......extra points can be awarded if everyone else in the room is pissing themselves laughing..