General Chat

we all have our own favourite words. Some are slang for others, some regional and some have evolved from others. But do we know much about them. I hate the word idiot but love the word eejit. This is probably because I never realised them to be one and the same. My Grandad used the word eejit so from a small child I knew this was an acceptable word, but my Nan forbid the using of the word idiot. I guess we could argue they mean the same and have the same origins. Today the word idiot is used in relation to a foolish person who might now act wisely, yet originally it meant someone who was unable (mentally) to act wisely. A massive difference. Grandad always used thee, thou and thy I was never quite sure whether this was because of his regional upbringing or his long lost chapel days. I love the use of language and have repetitiveness. If any one could help on the thee, thou and thy I would be very grateful.

Re Thee, and thou, quite a good definition on wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thou

Why do you think the meaning of idiot has changed? And not quite sure what it is you want to know about thee, thou ,and thy But they sure are used a lot in the bible so you must understand them yes?

Amy, I would suggest that the meaning of idiot HAS changed....certainly it has a different meaning the way I use it today to the way it is used on the 19th C census'.

'The village Idiot' was a term used in reference to someone with learning difficulties, or mentally handicapped... now I think that 'idiot' is a blanket term for a stupid and/ or annoying person?

Of course the meaning of the word "idiot" as changed just as "imbecile" has changed. These are words that were used to describe people with intellectual disabilities. Politically incorrect these days but these words are still used - sometimes affectionately, often scathingly:-))

Language is dynamic - it changes all the time. You only have to listen to the young ones to realise that new words and expressions come out overnight - as they always have.

S

ok , I thought you meant lots of people not just the way you use it thats changed .

Do you know...John Milton invented more words in common usage than Shakespeare did? ( I love QI lol)

mel ..thee thou and thy .. was used widely in old hill cradley heath and parts of quarry bank ..lingo i would say..my gran used to sat i will give thee one..

Our teachers constantly reminded us of 'the dignity of language being raised above the base & dishonest buffooneries of mob eloquence'.

We are blessed to have such a varied & wonderful language. Unfortunately, some treat it with reckless irreverence. A real pity.

Hi all thank you for your responses. Thank you Rose I can see Grandad tell me "i'l clip thee ear" as I type. Joan he lived in Netherton as a lad. Suemaid you are right our language is evolving all the time I'm relieved that some words have changed and not so with other words ~ some words should remain unchanged. I agree Dermot that some debase our language and twist it to suit themselves. Amy yes I know my bible from cover to cover (though its not my friend these days) but the Thee, Thou and Thy are all used in reference to god in the old English to raise him up, but thats not the way Grandad used them it was more in his everyday conversations.

http://alt-usage-english.org/pronoun_paradigms.html

thank you Rose x

as netherton is border to cradley and old hill mel.... yes ive heard it there.. thats what my gran meant... i will clip your ear ..when my sil came to our family.. she used thee thou and thy often..i was saying it at times when young lol..

LOL Joan its so funny remembering now, but it was common place to hear him back them. Kids woulda thought him queer (in the sense of it being strange not gay wow this could go on) x

There isnt many that can honestly say they dont use the word Idiot at least one day a week to address someone or even themselves,!

I like the word Yampy that my friend uses,,,,,I call them Pampy in return....}}}}

Hi Kay we get called Yampy a lot in the Black Country, that an Yam-Yam never heard Pampy but lol. I guess it depends where you are and who you are surrounded by for me there as been a great deal of Irish influence so I do tend to have a twang in my accent and use a lot of their words as well as BC stuff. I have a Scottish friend now living in London she uses a lot of Glasweidian still, sometimes its hard to break. So I guess a lot is regional as well as evolution.

Anybody use the word 'jigger' ?

my mum always used to as in 'let's cut through the jigger" ... wiki has it as "An alleyway in Liverpool " :)

no Rose our alleyways were "up the gulley" and our cul-de-sac's were "round the frying pan"

edit and our canals are "down t' cut"

Rose my dad always used the word "ginnel" for an alleyway. My dad was a Leeds lad. He also used to call the food he took to work his "crib" but other people call it their "jock" or "bait".

S x

Suemaid food in these parts is "fittle" I think it comes from vituals but not sure perhaps Joan would know. Grandad used to take his "snap" to the foundary which was really sarnies in greaseproof paper in a tin.

This thread is really enriching me.