Old Words

It’s a rainy, cold Tuesday in NYC…gray, overcast….no sunlight to wake me out of bed this morning.  I thought, “why does rain make us so glum?”  Glum???  Where did I dig that word out of?  I don’t think I’ve heard that word since 1973.

Glum – according to dictionary.com is defined as “sullenly or silently gloomy; dejected.”  (Funny how weather can make someone feel dejected….pretty powerful stuff for a few clouds and raindrops…get a grip Liz.)  I should’ve worn my galoshes.

I always knew I would get old, but I guess I never really thought much about how language, and verbiage gets old.  I mean, we all know cultural expressions change with the generations – when I grew up the word groovy was still in play (child of the 60’s and 70’s yesiree)…and everything was cool (which I still use.)  And with the explosion of email, texting, and Twitter, language has taken a beating in grammar and usage.

A friend recently said his dad was talking about the beauty, the dancer “gal” who partnered with Fred Astaire (um, that would be Ginger Rogers of course – which is in itself, an outdated reference)…but it was the word gal that he laughed at.  Gal.  Who say’s gal?  My dad might.  So might yours.

How about gam?  Did that originate from a leg that looked like a ham?  Jeez, I hope not.  (Jeez?)  I certainly wouldn’t want someone looking at my hamhock leg and coming up with the word gam. 

Does anybody say Eureka! anymore when they’ve discovered something?  I doubt it.  Holy sh*t! or OMG comes to mind nowadays.

Willynilly.  I like that one.  Lollygag.  Baffoon.  Jeepers.  Stupendous.  Cad.  The list is endless.  I’m flabbergasted.

Long live language.