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Old slang that you'd like to bring back

Dirt Mom

Dirt Mom

pic is not my persona, see my signature
Dirt Mom

Dirt Mom

pic is not my persona, see my signature
Dirt Mom

Dirt Mom

pic is not my persona, see my signature
Kellan Meig'h

Kellan Meig'h

Kilted Luthier
Flamingo said:
Cattywampus.
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Sigogglin

meaning (archaic, US, Appalachia) Not built correctly, crooked, skewed, out of balance. Ex. "Those Martin brothers done built me a fence but it's all sigogglin. Y'all know? Crooked as old Mister Davis' dog's hind leg?"

Grew up with this one from my parents. And Cattywampus, too.
 
Fallowfox

Fallowfox

Are we moomin, or are we dancer?
Out of interest how many of you are familiar with the phrase 'A silk purse from a sow's ear,' ?
I used this in conversation with a Singaporean woman some years ago and it confused her greatly.
 
quoting_mungo

quoting_mungo

Well-Known Member
Boyfriend and I had a fun conversation sorta about this... I think yesterday?
Like, how funny (and cool) it would be to have a 20s themed party and send along a little booklet of phrases and expressions with the invitation. Don't just walk the walk, people, talk the talk! ;)

Fallowfox said:
Out of interest how many of you are familiar with the phrase 'A silk purse from a sow's ear,' ?
I used this in conversation with a Singaporean woman some years ago and it confused her greatly.
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I recognize it and am afraid that right now my brain is refusing to retrieve its proper meaning. It's not the most common idiom ever, admittedly, but it's one that I feel like comes up once in a while?

Granted, idioms are always going to be hard with non-native speakers. I've had weird things happen with conversations when I without thinking translate an idiom from one language to another - apparently "between four eyes" isn't an expression in English and I have no idea why because it's so freaking useful.
 
Fallowfox

Fallowfox

Are we moomin, or are we dancer?
quoting_mungo said:
Boyfriend and I had a fun conversation sorta about this... I think yesterday?
Like, how funny (and cool) it would be to have a 20s themed party and send along a little booklet of phrases and expressions with the invitation. Don't just walk the walk, people, talk the talk! ;)


I recognize it and am afraid that right now my brain is refusing to retrieve its proper meaning. It's not the most common idiom ever, admittedly, but it's one that I feel like comes up once in a while?

Granted, idioms are always going to be hard with non-native speakers. I've had weird things happen with conversations when I without thinking translate an idiom from one language to another - apparently "between four eyes" isn't an expression in English and I have no idea why because it's so freaking useful.
Click to expand...

I have never heard of 'between four eyes' before.

Making a silk purse from a sow's ear means to attempt to make the best of a bad situation/ 'polish a turd'.
 
quoting_mungo

quoting_mungo

Well-Known Member
Fallowfox said:
I have never heard of 'between four eyes' before.
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It's a Swedish idiom that my brain helpfully translated without telling me it translated something at one point. So it's become my go-to example of my brain being "helpful" like that. Basically means "in private the two of us," generally used about discussing a matter privately or similar. "In private" just doesn't have the same hard cap on participants.
 
Deviant Fish

Deviant Fish

ambassador of fish
quoting_mungo said:
It's a Swedish idiom that my brain helpfully translated without telling me it translated something at one point. So it's become my go-to example of my brain being "helpful" like that. Basically means "in private the two of us," generally used about discussing a matter privately or similar. "In private" just doesn't have the same hard cap on participants.
Click to expand...
or...

740full-for-your-eyes-only-poster.jpg
 
Kellan Meig'h

Kellan Meig'h

Kilted Luthier
Fallowfox said:
I have never heard of 'between four eyes' before.

Making a silk purse from a sow's ear means to attempt to make the best of a bad situation/ 'polish a turd'.
Click to expand...
When I worked in car sales, we would take in a junker on trade and send it to be detailed. Our term for that was "Putting lipstick on a pig." No matter how good you make it look, it is still a pig. Also used when talking about the apartment management team "cleaning up" an apartment for the next tenant.
 
Yakamaru

Yakamaru

Bara mig och lite bensin
Aquasystem

Aquasystem

Commissions open!
zandelux said:
I was listening to some recordings done at Woodstock (including non-music like announcements), and it was interesting to hear some of the slang they used. A couple stuck out: "dig", which I hardly ever hear but think to myself sometimes. I see it as sort of a blend between "like", "understand", and "feel".

Another one: "cat", which might mean a specific kind of guy but I always thought meant any adult male. It reminds me a lot of "chick" for the ladies... some people react negatively to it but I still hear it in common use. I wonder why it survived but "cat" didn't. I guess there's also "bird" but that's British slang, and I have no idea if anyone there still uses it.

What slang words would you bring back if you could?
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i heard of this really old slang called "clams" and that apparently refers to money? anyways idk much abt the history behind it but i think it'll be cool if we call money as clams again
 
zandelux

zandelux

AKA Kardek
Aquasystem said:
i heard of this really old slang called "clams" and that apparently refers to money? anyways idk much abt the history behind it but i think it'll be cool if we call money as clams again
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That one's been around at least since the Flintstones (in the 60s) since they turned it into a literal joke: clams are their currency. No idea where it started, though.
 
Aquasystem

Aquasystem

Commissions open!
zandelux said:
That one's been around at least since the Flintstones (in the 60s) since they turned it into a literal joke: clams are their currency. No idea where it started, though.
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oh that makes sense now i was wondering how they even have the idea to call it clams
 
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