Words Rarely Heard Anymore

[JimMIA]

It’s regional. The map that someone posted earlier is pretty accurate. Northeast it’s sneakers and everyone else is tennis shoes. I still call them sneakers even though I live in the south.

I agree on the accuracy of that map. It's "sneakers" in South Florida, just as shown on the map.

 

[Diznotyzed]

Skedaddle

 

[Erzengel]

Is anyone still the cat's pajamas?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I thought of another one.

Dawdle.

I never really heard that anymore until I met my husband's family. His grandmother said it and it seemed like they all picked it up. My husband says it all the time and after 13 years together I've picked up the habit too. Maybe we can bring it back in our small group But they are the only ones who I've heard say it in person.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I thought of another one.

Dawdle.

I never really heard that anymore until I met my husband's family. His grandmother said it and it seemed like they all picked it up. My husband says it all the time and after 13 years together I've picked up the habit too. Maybe we can bring it back in our small group But they are the only ones who I've heard say it in person.

I say it about my youngest all the time.

 

[TCRAIG]

Behooves - it is to my benefit. It is an old King James Bible/Shakespearean word that was still used in my childhood but I haven't heard in a very long time.

Oops - I say behooves all the time

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I say it about my youngest all the time.

I think it needs to gain more traction here It has a nice ring to it IMO

 

[Tattylou]

It’s regional. The map that someone posted earlier is pretty accurate. Northeast it’s sneakers and everyone else is tennis shoes. I still call them sneakers even though I live in the south.

Somehow I missed seeing the map - thanks!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Floppy disk.

 

[hertamaniac]

Fancy that

 

[RUDisney]

I caught myself saying, "good grief" this morning.

 

[RedAngie]

Back to old-fashioned words: Mix Master. An antiquated term for an electric hand-mixer along the lines of the Kelvinator or the Hoover.

I have my mother’s Sunbeam Mix Master stand mixer from circa 1973. It still works great on the two or three times a year I use it. Some of the painted-on lettering is worn off. It’s mostly metal like a current Kitchen Aid, not the cheap plastic Sunbeams of today.

And speaking of "trousers", one thing I just realized that I personally don't hear as often as I used to is the word "slacks". It seems like when I was a child I heard a lot more variations of the word "pants" than I do now. And my dad also still says dungarees for jeans.

Back in the day, men wore pants or trousers while women generally wore slacks. At least that’s the way it was in my area.

Yes, and my dear Grandfather called Canada "The Dominion" until the day he died.

I remember July 1 being referred to as Dominion Day, and I still prefer that designation.

 

[RedAngie]

Egads!!!!! I didn’t expect so many swell replies.

I’m sitting here in the rumpus room wearing my housecoat while reading them all. (Also wearing my thong and I don’t mean flip flops. )

My mother often shortened sneakers to “sneaks.” “Don’t wear those muddy sneaks in the front room!”

My grandmother called sheets, blankets, comforters, etc. the “bedclothes.”

“Thank you” to all who contributed.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Serviette was used here in Canada interchangeably with napkin.
I think that's used a lot less and napkin is the go to word now.

Old joke was that Americans wouldn't understand this sentence (which was a dumb joke....)
Do you have a serviette? I spilled my poutine on the chesterfield. (combining mix of French and English)

 

[RedAngie]

Serviette was used here in Canada interchangeably with napkin.
I think that's used a lot less and napkin is the go to word now.

Old joke was that Americans wouldn't understand this sentence (which was a dumb joke....)
Do you have a serviette? I spilled my poutine on the chesterfield. (combining mix of French and English)

About 20 years ago an older woman in front of me at the mall food court asked the cashier for an extra serviette. The young whippersnapper had a blank look on his face. The woman repeated her request and I finally said “napkin” to him.

 

[JimMIA]

“Thank you” to all who contributed.

No problem!

 

[NannyBeBe]

As an old lady, I appreciate hearing Yes Ma'am and No Ma'am from young people. I still sometimes say it myself, just as a form of respect.

 

[BrianL]

I actually just stumbled upon this one, probably because I searched for the other one:

Mr. Burns is a neverending fountain of this kind of thing!

 

[mrodgers]

This is specific to my little area near Pittsburgh, PA, but I almost never hear people talking Pittsburgese anymore. I grew up with words like "jaggoff", "n'at", warsh, and one of my personal favorites, "redd-up".

We asked my mother all the time, "So, do you eat Squarsh or do you eat Squash?" She was and still is one who always warshed her clothes and also would take the incline up to Mount Warshington.

Parents grew up in Beechview. I was born in Beechview, moved north the summer going into 3rd grade.

Everyone knew we were from "Pixburgh" when we were on vacation. Especially when my brother and I were young and wanted a "sucker".

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

We asked my mother all the time, "So, do you eat Squarsh or do you eat Squash?" She was and still is one who always warshed her clothes and also would take the incline up to Mount Warshington.

Parents grew up in Beechview. I was born in Beechview, moved north the summer going into 3rd grade.

Everyone knew we were from "Pixburgh" when we were on vacation. Especially when my brother and I were young and wanted a "sucker".

Aww, I love that!! I am a fellow "Pixburgher".

My community, which was formerly a farming/mining community, has become gentrified since I was a kid. We've gone from mostly farmland to now a bunch of subdivisions with a few of the smaller farms still sprinkled throughout, but I know those farmers won't hold out forever. Either they will sell the farm or their kids will after they pass. It makes me sad. A lot of the newer people in the subdivisions are from elsewhere so I don't get to hear the Pittsburgh words and accent much anymore.