Language changes in our lifetime...
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85146)
Shingle Springs, California
March 30, 2011 12:37pm CST
OK, here goes...
Waiting on and waiting for - to me, growing up, "waiting on" meant you were serving somebody, attending them in a retail store, etc. If you were standing around while somebody else was doing something, that was "waiting for". When did "waiting on" become "waiting for"?
Acting out and acting up - when I was a child I was often accused of "acting up", ie misbehaving. Now I hear "acting out" used the same way.
My bad - I don't know where this one started, but I never heard it when I was growing up. To this day, when I hear it, I want to reply "my bad what?"
There was another one, but I don't remember it right now cus it's too early in the morning or whatever. Or I'm just too old as you can tell from this discussion.
What language changes have you noticed in your lifetime. Do any of them bother you?
4 people like this
21 responses
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
31 Mar 11
i never really heard "acting up" as much as i heard "starting" in the same sense.
as in "don't start".tho now i hear "moment" or "needs timeout(wtf?)" the same way..
most of the changes i've seen involve words that are no longer "PC".
although it seems the media is making up godawful new ones every day..
i refuse to call anyone "my boo"..except my cat,boo.
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
31 Mar 11
i believe it means "boyfriend".i've heard the 20 somethings using it.
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@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
2 Apr 11
I'm no saint mind you. I was raised a Christian but a lack of faith has left me thinking atheistic thoughts and I lean toward Paganism.
In spite of all that, I know most people believe in a God of some sort. The one thing that concerns me is the use of OMG! and the spoken words. It shocks me because this is downright blasphemy. I hate hearing it from the mouths of young people too. In my day, the only people who invoked His name were nuns and priests.
I love sayings like "tell someone who cares" because in my day you had to pretend to care to be polite. I've never said this to anyone but gee, I would sure like to.
Ditto, "get over yourself" to someone sounding off about something stupid.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
2 Apr 11
Tell someone who cares, would be nice... and "Get over yourself." Gee I can think of a couple people who are younger than me, one even in their 30s that this would be appropriate for.
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
4 Apr 11
I've had situations where those would have come in very useful! :D
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I use "my bad" all the time..
The one that has gotten to me lately is how everyone is now saying "in a minute" to mean for a very long time.
"I haven't seen you in a minute" used to mean just that.. I saw you a minute ago. Now it could mean I haven't seen you for months. I don't see how it makes any sense!
2 people like this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
31 Mar 11
Too many to count.
I got in trouble at school for "acting smart". 
I hear language that I'm pretty sure is English or at least American but can't, for the life of me, figure out what is being said. Maybe we need June Cleaver (you know, Beaver's mom) to translate for us like she did in the movie "Airplane". She spoke jive, maybe she could help with this newest whatever-it's-called.
I hear language that I'm pretty sure is English or at least American but can't, for the life of me, figure out what is being said. Maybe we need June Cleaver (you know, Beaver's mom) to translate for us like she did in the movie "Airplane". She spoke jive, maybe she could help with this newest whatever-it's-called.@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Mar 11
If I had asked a teacher that, they would have pointed at me!
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
31 Mar 11
yea, I can see that. So, really, where did that one come from? Besides your picture in the dictionary beside it, what would it say about the origins? OH NO! I'm off to find out and won't be seen until I have the answer. Hate when that happens.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I asked a teacher once what a smart alec was. She didn't answer me.
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@GardenGerty (160642)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I always assumed that "acting out" was psychologese for acting up. You know, someone trying to act superior and over educated. I only hear it applied to kids, not to cars, or pacemakers or things like that. I think I speak the same waiting language that you do. My bad is just plain old bad usage, maybe slang, not sure. I know that I scratch itches, but some others itch itches, and that gets to me. I get confused about whether I could care less or I couldn't care less, but either way, I do not really care much at all. Yes, when other people do not express themselves as I think they should I am bothered. However, after being beaten by my older sister for embarrassing her in front of her friends by correcting her, I have finally learned to not correct everybody and just take it as a different translation.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I've heard people say dethaw for defrost. As in putting it back in the freezer maybe?
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@celticeagle (166830)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Mar 11
The way women are acknowledged. Men used to be more respectful. Now it is the "B" word and moma. Some of these women are not 'momas' and are the furthest thing from it. And everyone is 'dude' now both male and female. And the name for where you live is now 'crib'. How quaint. NOT! Oh and that one too. You make a comment like you really mean it and then add NOT. I am sure there are more.
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@celticeagle (166830)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Mar 11
I think sarcasm is the key word here.
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@GardenGerty (160642)
• United States
31 Mar 11
If you bring something with you, it is coming from the outside of the location in. Like "I will bring a book with me from my home." but if it is coming from inside the location and going out, then it is take it with me. Like "I will take this book that your are letting me borrow with me."
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Mar 11
Hm, neither one strikes me as being particularly new or old....
@figurativeme (1089)
• Philippines
31 Mar 11
Hi dawnald../. When I encounter new words or phrase used I ask the youth what it means and they would gladly oblige. But as soon as I get it, if also forget it. That is how fast words change nowadays---or it reveals my age. 
But I remember a Filipina friend who worked in another country that whenever she said "I'll take it with me" her superior would correct her and tell her it should be "bring it with me" and not take. I don't really know the difference so I didn't have the answer when she asked me for the difference. 
But I remember a Filipina friend who worked in another country that whenever she said "I'll take it with me" her superior would correct her and tell her it should be "bring it with me" and not take. I don't really know the difference so I didn't have the answer when she asked me for the difference. 2 people like this
@marguicha (222896)
• Chile
31 Mar 11
In my native language there are lots of changes at it has always been that way. Language changes.
I went to live to the US when I was 12 years old for a year and I can see in movies how language has changes there. People use 4 letter words at least twice in each sentence and the Oh my Gosh! I heard has turned into Oh my God! which used to bee a lack of respect. People talk fasted and pronounce worse and noone seems to care. I will not go into spelling!
Enough for one answer.
Enough for one answer. @dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Mar 11
Spelling has gone down the tubes, not only here but in the UK. Few people seem to know the difference between to and too, there, they're and their, etc.
@marguicha (222896)
• Chile
31 Mar 11
I Spanish it´s the same. Chatting doesn´t help any. I refuse to understand people that won´t pronounce well and I always told mr students that I was NOT Champolion.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
30 Mar 11
I've been told language is a living thing. It changes according to need. I guess we all need a dictionary.
I don't like the 'my bad' phrase either. But I can't exactly tell you why. I really disliked 'duh', it sounded like someone was saying I should have known better.
My mom and aunt would be wacking everyone around them with the newspaper, growning up it was proper English or shut up. I remember my uncle responding to me when I was in the 'you know what I mean' stage, he calmly said with his eyes bored into mine, No, I don't know what you mean. I got the message.
I don't like the 'my bad' phrase either. But I can't exactly tell you why. I really disliked 'duh', it sounded like someone was saying I should have known better.
My mom and aunt would be wacking everyone around them with the newspaper, growning up it was proper English or shut up. I remember my uncle responding to me when I was in the 'you know what I mean' stage, he calmly said with his eyes bored into mine, No, I don't know what you mean. I got the message. 1 person likes this
@marguicha (222896)
• Chile
31 Mar 11
There´s a slang word for the 'you know what I mean" here. I reply as your uncle: "No, I don't know what you mean". I add a "please DO tell me" so that they are caught in their web
. I did that a lot with my grandchildren until they learned and did my best when I taught at the university but I could not follow the students to their houses.
. I did that a lot with my grandchildren until they learned and did my best when I taught at the university but I could not follow the students to their houses.1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
31 Mar 11
What is the slang for it...tell me, tell me! 
I gave up when my kids hit 18. They're all into nascar...and speak it fluently.
My second son came home from 2nd grade using the F word. I told him he could not use a word that he did not know the meaning of.....wrong thing to do. He came home the next day and told me what it meant. He then of course wanted to use it all the time. I went to the teacher for backup.
I gave up when my kids hit 18. They're all into nascar...and speak it fluently.
My second son came home from 2nd grade using the F word. I told him he could not use a word that he did not know the meaning of.....wrong thing to do. He came home the next day and told me what it meant. He then of course wanted to use it all the time. I went to the teacher for backup.1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Mar 11
Dang and darn have been around for a while. They are both politer versions of damn...
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I don't care for OMG and btw (oops)...she got those ellipes from ME. 
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
30 Mar 11
The one I could not stand at home and or to hear from anyone is the "duh" something about that kind of reply sounds dense to me. No matter how many times to date I hear it, it drives me nuts. With this one I too want to reply duh... what?!? What happened to Exactly or I agree! I guess too long of a word to
say. 
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Mar 11
To me, "duh" is more like, "yeah of course how obvious"...
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
30 Mar 11
I am usually the cheerful one I suppose because when I see
"yeah of course how obvious"
Sounds like they agreed sarcastically, so sarcasm is something I did not take a liking to when it came to my kids so it was never allowed with me.
Funny if they ever initially slipped they'd catch themselves and re-correct. lol
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
2 Apr 11
Personally over our lifetime you will hear many sayings changed around with their meanings, and it makes you wonder what happened. Sometimes I will hear some of the younger generation talking and wonder what they are saying and sometimes will have to either listen closer, or have them explain it. Most of the time it ends up being the same thing we used to say, and mean the same as we used to say it just in a different form.
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Mar 11
I'm not quite sure what it's saying. It doesn't really mean anything to me....
@BarBaraPrz (47296)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
31 Mar 11
You're right: there is another one (at least one) but it's too early in the morning for me, too.
Oh...
A cut or song off an album... ya can't physically lift it off, you can only listen to a song from an album.
1 person likes this
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
31 Mar 11
I hope this fits the discussion! Since I was a kid alot of the english language has changed! Like slang! When i was a kid there was no saying "WTF"! Neither was "Were You at"! "Back in the day" wasn't either! "Awesome" wasn't invented yet! I rememeber hearing "Blog". Of course with technology we have dvd players,cd players,I-Pods, HD TV's,laptops, and all that stuff! I don't remember the word hybrid dog breeds,too! These are just some of the words I can think of! I am sure I can think of some more later!
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Mar 11
"Back in the day" was probably "in the old days" or something. "Where you at" is African-American, I believe. When I was a kid, WTF would have gotten my mouth washed out!
@iklananda (1202)
•
31 Mar 11
Waiting is surely boring. Lucky for us having this Mylot
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@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Mar 11
Also reading books written in England vs in the US, the differences are interesting...
