Daily Literary Quote
“Time changes all things; there is no reason why language should escape this universal law” - Ferdinand de Saussure Journal Prompt What are some (appropriate) English words whose meanings have changed over time? How do the earlier meanings compare with today's meanings? Why do you think language changes over time?
39 Comments
Carma
9/11/2023 10:17:22 am
The only word I can think of at the moment is queer, which used to mean happy, now is know for the LGBTQ+ community. I think language changes over time because we morph it to fit with our society and culture at the time of its change.
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Zac Winchester
9/11/2023 10:23:31 am
I thought that gay was the one that meant happy? I didn't know about the queer.
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Madi
9/11/2023 10:24:33 am
I agree but I also think that our language changes overtime based on the newest generation.
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Jersey Anders
9/11/2023 10:26:14 am
I agree with what you are saying but I believe that language is constantly changing to reflect our changing lives, experiences and cultures.
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Keelan Cooper
9/11/2023 10:19:32 am
Gay-Gay used to be a derogatory term, and now being gay is widely accepted and uplifted. Awful today means terrible or horrible. A long time ago, it's meaning was inspiring and motivational.
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Easton Tarkalson
9/11/2023 10:20:59 am
I didn't know that awful meant inspiring.
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Kris Neyman
9/11/2023 10:23:25 am
that's crazy
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lloyd neff
9/11/2023 10:24:40 am
I like the fact it used to be a bad term but is accepted now.
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Wyatt Herbst
9/11/2023 10:19:46 am
Fool today it's means stupid, but during Shakespeare's time it just mean someone is a court jester
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Easton Tarkalson
9/11/2023 10:21:57 am
That is very interesting never knew that.
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Lauren
9/11/2023 10:29:49 am
I wonder if because a court jester (fool) was just for people's entertainment that it then became viewed as negative
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Easton Tarkalson
9/11/2023 10:19:46 am
Naughty used to mean being poor or needy and now it means rude behavior. Also Nice used to mean someone who was unsophisticated and/or unaware of proper customs and manners, and today it means one who is pleasant to be around.
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Kris Neyman
9/11/2023 10:22:33 am
it also comes from the old English word naught
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Wyatt Herbst
9/11/2023 10:23:07 am
I wonder how did the word "nice" flip meanings
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Keelan Cooper
9/11/2023 10:23:42 am
I thought naughty always had bad meaning.
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Madi
9/11/2023 10:19:52 am
Gay: Happy Awful: worthy of awe. Gay now means that someone likes the same gender as themselves. Awful now means that it's a bad thing. It changes with every new generation.
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Carma
9/11/2023 10:22:05 am
Do you think every word changes with each generation, or just a select number of them?
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Ana
9/11/2023 10:25:38 am
Has our generation changed the meaning of any words that you know of?
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Zac Winchester
9/11/2023 10:26:07 am
What's awful going to mean next? I'd assume, something good.
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Jersey Anders
9/11/2023 10:29:02 am
I agree with this. I believe that language is constantly changing over times to reflect our changes that are happening constantly whether its our lives, experiences, and cultures.
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Kris Neyman
9/11/2023 10:21:33 am
god be with you - goodbye, terror - terrible, Naughty, which today means badly behaved rude, or indecent, is derived from the Old English would “naught.”
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Carma
9/11/2023 10:24:01 am
I didn't know that the word naughty was derived from the word 'naught', that's really interesting.
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Zac Winchester
9/11/2023 10:22:17 am
awful- used to mean worthy of awe, now means bad or disgusting
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Lauren
9/11/2023 10:30:41 am
Kinda weird how words used to literally say their meaning in the spelling and now they dont
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stephan
9/11/2023 10:22:23 am
Nice. Derived from the Latin nescius meaning ignorant, 'nice' began as a negative term for a stupid, ignorant or foolish person. In the 14th and 15th centuries, 'nice' began to refer to someone finely dressed or who was shy and reserved.
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lloyd neff
9/11/2023 10:22:56 am
The word "fine" has changed over time. The earlier meaning of the word was showing the end of something, today's meaning of the word is showing the absolute best or top of the line. I think language changes over time because they find different meanings that make sense to them and it sticks.
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Wyatt Herbst
9/11/2023 10:25:44 am
I didn't know that, ever intesting.
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Challo Gonzales
9/11/2023 10:23:12 am
come words that have changed are "gay". Gay used to mean happy but now its used as a other word for homosexual
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Zoe Chester
9/11/2023 10:24:02 am
Fizzle
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Laci Bennett
9/11/2023 10:26:43 am
I have never heard this word so good word choice
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Ana
9/11/2023 10:24:14 am
Words change over time because as humans we adapt and we need our language to adapt with us. Some words have different meanings than they did twenty years ago.
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Jersey Anders
9/11/2023 10:24:27 am
Words that have changed over time are gay, awful, and happy. Gay used to mean cheerful, and it now means someone liking the same gender. Awful used to mean "worthy of awe", and now it means something extremely unpleasant. Happy used to mean lucky, and now it means feeling or showing pleasure. I believe language is constantly changing to reflect our changing lives, experiences and cultures.
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Madi
9/11/2023 10:25:57 am
I never knew that. That is very interesting to think about.
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Laci Bennett
9/11/2023 10:30:11 am
I didn't know about a lot of these old definitions for these words.
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Laci Bennett
9/11/2023 10:24:48 am
Brabble
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Sydney
9/11/2023 10:30:03 am
very interesting.
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Lauren
9/11/2023 10:27:11 am
Naughty used to mean that someone had nothing. Now it means that you are bad or misbehaved. It has changed drastically from its original meaning to now. As our society changes so does our language. With new experiences and things we have come up with many new words and meanings in our vocabulary.
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zoe
9/11/2023 10:29:31 am
I would not have known that. That is very interesting. I also agree with your opinion on why language has changed.
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Naomi
9/11/2023 10:30:52 am
Furniture used to mean equipment. It hasnt changed in the sense we still "use" furniture. Language has always chaged and will continue to change.
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