18 obsolete words, which should never have gone out of style

[Nick Armstrong]

I enjoyed this a lot:

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/195348/18-obsolete-words-which-should-have-never-gone-out-of-style/

[Petrushka]

I think we can guess why spermologer and queerplungers have gone out of use

Beef-witted clearly still has its uses on this very Forum

[Flay]

Resistentialism: The seemingly spiteful behavior shown by inanimate objects.

Didn't you have a thread on resistentialism a while ago, Calibs?

[Nick Armstrong]

Didn't you have a thread on resistentialism a while ago, Calibs?

True, o wise one

I think we can guess why spermologer and queerplungers have gone out of use

Beef-witted clearly still has its uses on this very Forum

I thought I should leave it for others to comment. But I don't disagree! And yes, I too spared a thought for our Beefy friend

[Serial_Apologist]

I found "arsy-varsy" in a book on Essex dialect, as meaning back-to-front.

That should never have gone out of use!

Thank heavens one never hears, "daddy-o" or "groovy" any more.

[Anna]

I like Snoutfair I can imagine it "By 'eck Gladys, tha's reet snoutfairer than t'whippet at t'foot of ower stairs, givvus a kiss then"

[Nick Armstrong]

I like Snoutfair I can imagine it "By 'eck Gladys, tha's reet snoutfairer than t'whippet at t'foot of ower stairs, givvus a kiss then"

I love it when you talk naughty!

[AmpH]

How prophetic - I certainly received a dose of ' Curglaff ' this morning, due to a shower malfunction

I would imagine we have all been afflicted by a touch of the ' Jirbles ' at one time or another

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I like Snoutfair I can imagine it "By 'eck Gladys, tha's reet snoutfairer than t'whippet at t'foot of ower stairs, givvus a kiss then"

The very words with which my father proposed.




It was five years and two children before he found out her name was Bertha.

[Anna]

The very words with which my father proposed.
It was five years and two children before he found out her name was Bertha.

By 'eck Gladys Snoutfair, aka Big Bertha? Art thou kin to Bertha? By 'eck, she were a reet bobby dazzler (in her salad days)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

"Salad"?! Nowt so posh - it's us chips we eat: gret bigguns. Sumovvum on us shoulders.

[jean]

I found "arsy-varsy" in a book on Essex dialect, as meaning back-to-front.

That should never have gone out of use!

It made it into the OED:

1539 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus Prouerbes (1552) 62 Ye set the cart before the horse..cleane contrarily and arsy versy as they say.

1577 R. Stanyhurst Treat. Descr. Irelande iii. f. 14v/1, in R. Holinshed Chron. I, The estate of that flourishing towne was tourned arsye versye, topside thotherway.

But did it ever actually go out of use?

1957 S. Beckett All that Fall 29 Like Dante's damned, with their faces arsy-versy.

[Anna]

1957 S. Beckett All that Fall 29 Like Dante's damned, with their faces arsy-versy.

And we still say 'arse about face' or 'arse about elbow' (or, arse over tit)

[LeMartinPecheur]

And we still say 'arse about face' or 'arse about elbow' (or, arse over tit)

Anna: these phrases make perfect sense (cf "Base over apex").

Can you now please explain why we say "Head over heels"?