n3ta

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.

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.

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

Like gormless

An Unicorn wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 3:18 am 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!

dng wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 3:04 pm 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.

its not though is it

he's lost his gorm but found his gruntles

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

Maybe but also maybe underwhelm's simultaneous existence disqualifies it

I am adequately whelmed

But how is your gruntling?

ungrunted

Scrutable

Feck

(feck off)

dng wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 6:27 pmits not though is it

It so is! So there! :p

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