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[-] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 50 points 4 months ago

How else would one interpret it?

[-] Binette@lemmy.ml 47 points 4 months ago

It's not really that I interpret it in another way, but I never really thought about the structure of the word 😅

[-] db2@lemmy.world 18 points 4 months ago

Go further. For example, people say 'gypped' without knowing it's a pejorative reference to the word 'Gypsy' which is itself a pejorative of the Romani.

[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 14 points 4 months ago

My favorite recently is sophist from the pejorative Platonic definition. It really puts words like sophisticated in a different etymological light and subtle contextual meaning.

[-] Caboose12000@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago
[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophist_(dialogue)

Fake but convincing by argument, gaslighting, etc., generally by someone in a position like a professor, a judge, or a politician.

[-] Welt@lazysoci.al 0 points 4 months ago

And the Egyptians, too!

[-] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago

I remember learning this about 20ish years ago and telling my then-sister in law about it when I explained why I wasn't going to use it anymore. I got told I had a stick up my ass, and this was by a marginalized (gay, immigrant) woman. (Somewhat unrelated note - very grateful she's a former relation.)

So glad people have been learning and I've been hearing "gypped" less and less in recent years.

[-] ricdeh@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Some words have simply entered common use and become decoupled from their former meaning. Maybe your acquaintance was right.

[-] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

Watching my own language means my "acquaintance" was right? I don't think I'm the one with a stick, if that's the case.

[-] Welt@lazysoci.al 0 points 4 months ago

Seems like Orwell was right

[-] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 12 points 4 months ago

I’ve had similar realizations about words like “across” and “again”.

[-] SorteKanin@feddit.dk 7 points 4 months ago

I get "across", but what about again?

[-] Trex202@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

A gain. In addition to.

[-] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

“A gain” as in one more. Gain meaning “an increase in amount”

[-] Albbi@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 months ago

Yeah, actually I had never thought about the structure of the word either. Thanks for the great shower thought!

[-] flerp@lemm.ee 2 points 4 months ago

I've definitely had a similar feeling with band names and brand names, etc. You're just so used to hearing them that they are their own thing without being the component words that the name contains.

[-] _sideffect@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago
[-] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 14 points 4 months ago

I think the pronunciation, specifically the blending of the end of "upside" and beginning of "down", turns it into one of those compound words that your brain interprets as an independent word, rather than a combination of its composite parts.

[-] s38b35M5@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Unused to wonder if the radio announcers that are always reciting the station call letters found that the letters stopped sounding like individual sounds, and the whole recitation became a sort of "word" for them. Like "You're listening to 102.9FM WBLM!" Did it stop being "double-you bee ell emm," and turn into more of a mashup of "dubbleyabeeyelmm"?

True, the difference is pretty subtle, especially to a listener, but I wonder strange things sometimes...

[-] Kiosade@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 months ago

As a fellow wonderer of strange things, all I have to say is keep wondering, my friend :)

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I think this is the case for a lot of words. It ceases to be a combination of words and it's just one word. Then in the shower you break it down and ohhh.

[-] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago
[-] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago
[-] Artemis@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 months ago

Yes! So glad someone else though of this 😎

this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2024
342 points (87.7% liked)

Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The best ones are thoughts that many people can relate to and they find something funny or interesting in regular stuff.

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