Not the Queen’s English
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” - Inigo Montoya, from the book/movie “The Princess Bride”
Think you know what the word scumbag means? Well, guess again. According to the revered and hernia-inducing Oxford English Dictionary, the word scumbag has only recently assumed its current usage of “despicable person.” It was originally a slang term for “used condom.”
Ick.
I normally pride myself on the sophistication of my vocabulary, which I earned the hard way through two decades of losing arguments with my wife, the English major. I cringe at some of the misused words tossed about by the younger generation. For example: dork is commonly used to describe an idiot or foolish person. Nobody seems to remember it used to have quite a different meaning that had little to do with the brain. If you have to ask, you’re too young and I can’t tell you.
Guess I’ll have to lay off the dork users, because I’m certainly guilty of using “scumbag” in genteel company. In fact, I used it just the other day in this very blog. So much for my status as an elitist Englisher. Of course, I fully expect that my wife will read this and say, “Oh, I knew that!” And my score falls further behind…
With English being so complex, it’s no wonder that illegal immigrants don’t want to bother learning to speak it.
Via David.
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I knew what dork meant! I had to figure out why dad would let us call people dorks when all the other kids were calling people dorks. Otherwise, I would’ve gone my whole life thinking a dork was a geek. Thanks to Dad’s overprotectiveness, I know the true definition of dork and now will not allow my children to run around calling people dorks, but they too will have to do the footwork on their own one day, not that they’ve asked.
Jane, just show the kids “Sixteen Candles.” Remember that kid saying, ” I have to sleep under a guy named after a duck’s dork.” Remember Long Duck Dong?
I guess that was before dork became synonymous with idiot.
I remember 16 Candles very well. Remember Long Duck Dong and his chunky girlfriend on the excercise bike? I seem to recall something about them in a tree, too.
My hasbeen, Lamar, calls Molly Ringwald, Molly Ringworm,
I knew the other definition for dork, and I seem to vaguely recall hearing the other definition for scumbag somewhere back in the mists of time.