words for the wordless

[An Unicorn]

This is a quozzy-resurrection of the thread I started on the other board those many years ago, because I am still finding Things That Need Words.

[An Unicorn]

1. The linguistic phenomenon of literally invoking an idiom that has become nearly (but not entirely) obsolete in its classical sense to the extent that the lay person might not know it's the actual origin of the phrase.

For instance, I watched a video of an organist literally pulling out all the stops and then deafening himself because playing all the instruments fortissimo at the same time is very loud and awful.

[dng]

I like words where you only have the negative form left, and whatever it's negating is long since lost

[dng]

Like gormless

[blombluss]

1. The linguistic phenomenon of literally invoking an idiom that has become nearly (but not entirely) obsolete in its classical sense to the extent that the lay person might not know it's actual origin of the phrase.

For instance, I watched a video of an organist literally pulling out all the stops and then deafening himself because playing all the instruments fortissimo at the same time is very loud and awful.

Heh!

[blombluss]

I like words where you only have the negative form left, and whatever it's negating is long since lost

I was going to say a bit like 'disgruntled', but 'gruntled' is a legit word, apparently.

[dng]

its not though is it

[dng]

he's lost his gorm but found his gruntles

[An Unicorn]

Would "overwhelm" count? Since apparently "whelm" was once a word but now has zero currency on its own without over.

[dng]

Maybe but also maybe underwhelm's simultaneous existence disqualifies it

[dng]

I am adequately whelmed

[An Unicorn]

But how is your gruntling?

[dng]

ungrunted

[endar]

Scrutable

[An Unicorn]

Feck

[An Unicorn]

(feck off)

[blombluss]

its not though is it

It so is! So there! :p

[blombluss]

The Credible Shrinking Man and The Visible Man are bets films.