Words That Changed Their Meanings

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  • #590140

    I read this in an Uncle Johns Book, and felt the need to share it.

    By most estimates, the English language includes about one million words, yet native speakers regularly use only about 5,000. And they don’t always get the ones they do use correct. Like all languages, English is constantly changing – new words are added, old words are phased out, and new word combinations are formed all the time.

    But the following examples of language changes cause trouble for people who like to use their words correctly because these words and phrases have pretty much lost their original meanings.

    Beg The Question

    If an event or happening raises a question for someone it’s almost certain he or she will say, “This begs the question …” But it doesn’t. Begging the question is a verbal trick speakers use to avoid a question, not bring one up. The original definition of begging the question meant to assume that what is being questioned had already been proven to be true, so the answer sidestepped the thing in question. Say you were asked a question that just required a simple yes or no answer. But instead of saying yes, you answer with a statement that assumes the thing in question is already true. That’s begging the question.

    For example, if the question is, “Senator, will this new crime bill be effective?” and he or she answers with a statement that doesn’t answer it – “I’ve been fighting crime my entire career, and this crime bill is the latest example of that” – then the speaker has begged the question.

    It’s a common practice in formal debate, and it’s especially prevalent in politics. In the example above, the speaker is acting as though the crime bill is definitely effective, even though he or she never answered the basic question with a yes or no. Assuming the question is true is not evidence that it is.

    From that, beg the question evolved in the language to mean that the statement invites another obvious question. Anytime you run verbal circles around the question without answering it can be called begging the question in this sense (although strict grammarians frown upon it; they like to keep the original meaning).

    Decimate

    It’s hard to believe that such a simple word hides such a horrific history. The original definition of “decimate” was “to kill one in ten.” The brutal practice was used by the Roman army beginning around the 5th century B.C. and was implemented as a way to inspire fear and loyalty. Lots were drawn, and one out of every 10 soldiers would be killed – by their own comrades. If one member of a squad acted up, anybody could pay the ultimate price. Captured armies often fell victim to this practice as well.

    Today, “decimate” has lost that meaning, but some grammarians still like to preserve it … at least in the sense of “to reduce by 10 percent.” The “dec” prefix means “ten” – it’s the same Latin root that gives us decade, for example. So to use “decimate” to mean just “destroy” contradicts the meaning of that prefix. (Note: Language snobs really get up in arms when someone says “totally decimate.” Totally reduce by ten? We don’t get it, either.)

    Could Care Less

    This is an easy mistake to make. The correct phrase, of course, is “couldn’t care less” – as in, “I don’t care at all, so it wouldn’t be possible for me to care any less about this.” But over the years, that’s morphed into a new phrase (with the same meaning), and even though the Harper Dictionary of Contemporary Usage criticized the change in 1975, saying it was “an ignorant debasement of language,” “could care less” seems to be around to stay.

    Language historian say “couldn’t care less” was originally a British phrase that became popular in the Untied States in the 1950s. “Could care less” appeared about a decade later. No one knows exactly why the incorrect form came into being, since it doesn’t make sense. But the phrase has stuck, and a lot of grammarians care very much that it’s not being used correctly. (Regular people, of course, couldn’t care less.)

    Card Sharp

    No, that’s not a misspelling. Sure it sounds weird to the ear, but people who know the term’s history and meaning prefer the original. “Card sharp” first appeared in the 1880s and meant a card player who tricked or scammed others. “Card shark” appeared much later, in the 1940s.

    Many people assume that the mix-up simply comes from speakers who either thought “shark” sounded better or misheard the word originally. But that may not be the case. Linguists have traced the history of both “sharp” and “shark” to their original usages, and though it doesn’t appear that either word derived from the other, there are a lot of similarities in meaning. “Shark” comes from a 17th-century German word schurke, which meant “someone who cheats.” “Sharping” came about around the same time and meant “swindling or cheating.” The words “loan shark” and “sharp practice” come from these words as well.

    So technically, “card shark” could be correct. But because “card sharp” appeared first, many linguists want to preserve it. Whether they’ll succeed is anyone’s guess, but it’s a sharp point of contention for many.

    Spit and Image

    If you think you’re the spitting image of your parents, you’re forgiven. People have been messing this one up for decades. “Spit and image” was the original term, used from about 1825 on. The Oxford English Dictionary defined it as “the very spit of, the exact image, likeness, or counterpart of.” “Spitting image” came about some 80 years later and was followed by a few other variations, including “spitten image” and “splitting image” (neither of which really caught on). In this case, “spitting image” has overtaken the use of “spit and image” for most English speakers. But when you’re spitting out this phrase, take a moment to remember its original use and think about the image you’re trying to project.

    Ironic

    Few words cause as much confusion or are used incorrectly as often as “ironic.” Not that it’s hard to understand why – the definition is not simple: “a pretense of ignorance and of willingness to learn from another assumed in order to make the other’s false conceptions conspicuous by adroit questioning … the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning.” What?

    Even the people who are supposed to know what it means get it wrong. The American Heritage Dictionary gave the word “irony” to its distinguished panel of experts (the ones who help ensure the accuracy of all the words the dictionary defines) and asked them if either of the following sentences used the word correctly:

    1. “In 1969, Susie moved from Ithaca to California, where she met her husband-to-be, who, ironically, also came from upstate New York.” Seventy-eight percent of the panel’s members agreed that this was an incorrect use of the word.

    2. “Ironically, even as the government was fulminating against American policy, American jeans and videocassettes were the hottest items in the stalls of the market.” In contrast, though, 73 percent agreed that this sentence used it properly.

    How “ironic” came to be defined as “coincidence” is anybody’s guess.

    Anyone got any others to share?

    #652364
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    If you want to read an *excellent* book about how the English language evolved (and continues to do so), then pick up Bill Bryson’s book “Mother Tongue.” He deals extensively with words that have changed meaning over time and words that today mean different things in different places.

    The Wolf

    #652365
    oomis
    Participant

    My pet peeve in language is about the incorrect usage of the words, “infer” and “imply.”

    If you imply that you are going right to sleep after posting in the CR tonight, then I will infer that you are going right to sleep , etc. etc. etc.

    This is such a common error that, it begs the question of how ironic it is that so many well-read people make this same mistake (there, how did I do?).

    #652366
    oomis
    Participant

    Another usage error – very commonly made – when someone says, “Between you and I,” when they should be saying, “between you and me.” I believe this to be an error caused strictly by the desire to sound a little more high-brow. The former expression somehow sounds classier to some people than the more grammatically-correct form. And when someone says, “Her and I are going out tonight,” it sets my teeth on edge.

    #652367
    YW Moderator-72
    Participant

    6 months ago on the boards I was called a panic on THIS POST

    and a few posts later I was told that I was complimented on THIS POST go figure…

    #652368
    Jothar
    Member

    English is a spoken language and isn’t bound by a grammar book. The rules are made afterward. As long as the usafe is common enough to be recognized, the grammar “rule” is irrelevant. Our modern, fast-paced, txt-and-chat-based society has completely pwned the grammar rule book. I believe in using proper grammar, but I can’t fault those who don’t. Dangling participles, split infinitives and ending sentences with a preposition are common usage and should be recognized as proper usage. The purpose of a language is to communicate. If today’s kids rofl cuz their bff sent a lol in a txt, good for them. That’s how people communicate today.

    #652369
    anonymouse1079
    Participant

    In the US “momentarily” means in just a moment. In England, it means “for just a moment”

    #652370
    mepal
    Member

    72, your memory impresses me. (I thought you cant remember everything ;)) Unless you only remember that from 7 months ago just because it was a compliment?

    I wouldn’t think so, since I believe you’re the most complimented mod (not to insult any other mods. You earned ’em all!)

    #652371
    YW Moderator-72
    Participant

    mepal. I was actually strolling through the archives when i stumbled across these posts…

    #652373
    mepal
    Member

    Oh, so you really are as old as you claim to be 😉

    #652374
    tzippi
    Member

    Should this be called, words with new meanings, or changed meanings? The people changed the meanings.

    #652375
    jphone
    Member

    The title of this thread implies things that the writer never meant.

    Not a single word ever changed its meaning. Words cant do anything. They are expressions used by people as a means of communication.

    #652376

    Oomis – add to that list – “irregardless”, “a whole nother” and “all of the sudden”.

    Check out this thread, and you’ll see what a hopeless cause this all is.

    #652377
    tzippi
    Member

    Got to confess to using “whole nother” myself. Just wanted to be folksy.

    #652378
    oomis
    Participant

    “Where it’s at” also bothers me.

    #652379

    2 more that I left out – “these ones” and “I’m being there” (as opposed to “I’m going to be there”). Those are really bad, but you’d be unpleasantly surprised at the number of people who speak like that.

    #652380
    equeen
    Member

    I often hear “pack out the boxes” or “plug out the wire” …..it’s UNPACK….UNPLUG…duh!

    #652381
    mepal
    Member

    “Or I’ll eat eggs for breakfast, or I’ll eat cereal”

    Its EITHER then OR.

    #652382
    YW Moderator-72
    Participant

    ok…

    from Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twerski, MD (I think – feel free to correct me)

    I will have fish for dinner. I love fish!

    If you love fish, you would let it swim in its natural environment. you love to EAT fish!

    #652383
    xoxo
    Member

    If you wish to wish a wish, you may swish for fish with my Ish wish dish.

    #652384
    mepal
    Member

    hmmm, where’d you get that from?! lol

    72, the same with eating hot, delish cholent and saying ‘l’kovod shabbos kodesh’. Its more like, ‘l’kovod your stomach’.

    #652385
    oomis
    Participant

    The shirt is tucked in or tucked out?????

    #652386
    Be Happy
    Participant

    As an English lady married to an American man we have had quie a few interesting mishaps because the same word means something different here in England. e.g pants – we call underwear. Vest we call waistcoat. Undershirt we call vest and so I could go on…

    #652387
    chofetzchaim
    Member

    The word “arcade”, which now brings up pictures of video games and air hockey tables, used to just mean “a series of arches”. There used to be store fronts under the arcades, and then the word “arcade” started meaning “mall”, and then switched to a mall where games and amusements are found

    #652388
    chofetzchaim
    Member

    The second Temple featured arcades, but did not have a single video game

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