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?
56 Comments
bella
9/14/2022 12:14:48 pm
The word beef just used to be a name of a food, now it means that people have a problem. I think words change because people like to have new phrases they can use.
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Hannah Rich
9/14/2022 12:16:54 pm
I think words also change with new generations. Everyone wants to be cool and we catch on to language and words and it can change their meaning.
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Piper
9/14/2022 12:18:15 pm
I like this.
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Tay
9/14/2022 12:20:47 pm
I think youre beefy :)
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Laynee
9/14/2022 12:24:46 pm
hahha dopeee
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Hannah Rich
9/14/2022 12:15:25 pm
I think a big one is savage. It used to mean an Indian, or someone unique. It was used as a rude word. But now, we say it all the time, like savage over average. Savage has become a compliment, like if you do something cool, its savage because its unique. I think language changes overtime because our perspective on the words change.
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Liberty Sommers
9/14/2022 12:19:56 pm
It is crazy how a term that was once such a negative term can change to something we say as a complement almost everyday.
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Anika
9/14/2022 12:20:41 pm
This is a good one that I didn't even think about.
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Haylee
9/14/2022 12:22:17 pm
Very true!
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Laynee
9/14/2022 12:24:22 pm
i would have never thought of this!
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bri
9/14/2022 12:16:30 pm
being mad. they used to say someone has gone mad when they were going crazy, or insane. now its used for when someone is upset and angry.
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bella
9/14/2022 12:18:08 pm
That's a good one!
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Hannah Rich
9/14/2022 12:18:47 pm
Thats a good example. I didn't even think about that.
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Piper
9/14/2022 12:19:04 pm
Nice.
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laynee
9/14/2022 12:23:27 pm
awesome!
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Liberty Sommers
9/14/2022 12:16:45 pm
A word that has changed its meaning is "drippy" or "drip." The original definition is tending to drip but the most common use of the word today is to represent the outfit of a person.
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Anna
9/14/2022 12:21:17 pm
Your outfit today is drippy.
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Anika
9/14/2022 12:21:42 pm
This one is funny:)
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Maren
9/14/2022 12:22:56 pm
It's crazy how different the meanings are.
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Westley Lanning
9/14/2022 12:17:05 pm
Stripe used to be used to refer to a cut or wound.
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Erin Jones
9/14/2022 12:18:45 pm
It is interesting to see words change with each generation.
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Moses Taylor
9/14/2022 12:22:12 pm
You see this one all the time in old books.
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Anika Tolman
9/14/2022 12:17:18 pm
A word that have changed are nice. It used to be an insult but now it is a complement. I think words change over time due to the miscommunication from a conversation to another person.
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Erin Jones
9/14/2022 12:20:21 pm
That is rather interesting to think it's meaning has completely switch around.
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Anika
9/14/2022 12:22:43 pm
Yeah it really has!
Erin Jones
9/14/2022 12:17:31 pm
Leech used to mean doctor or healer but is now refereed to as a worm that most species are parasites or as a bad thing that won't go away.
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Maren
9/14/2022 12:23:49 pm
I chose the same word.
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Piper
9/14/2022 12:17:54 pm
One english word that has changed over time is awful. The word was originally a synonym for awe-inspiring. Unfourtunatly it has taken on a soley negative connotation in our modern day and age. Language changes over time because it the way the word is used differs from person to person.
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Liberty Sommers
9/14/2022 12:23:27 pm
That's interesting! I forgot that was the original definition of awful.
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Moses Taylor
9/14/2022 12:19:26 pm
The name "John" has changed to mean both a person's name and using the bathroom. (Using the John). People named would probably say that there is a pretty wide difference to the two meanings. Certain words, especially names, change meaning over time because people like to use kennings to shake up the English language.
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logan
9/14/2022 12:25:14 pm
I need to use the John.
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Tay
9/14/2022 12:20:10 pm
A word whose meaning has changed over time is the word, is cap. The word means a hat, but it has changed overtime to call someone out for lying and such
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Haylee
9/14/2022 12:23:16 pm
That kinda weird, huh?
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Janna Fisher
9/14/2022 12:20:21 pm
The word Fudge used to mean lie or nonsense now it is used with a kind of candy. I don't honestly know how or why it changed.
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Anna
9/14/2022 12:20:27 pm
An English word that has changed over time is lit. When someone or something falls over my grandparents refer to it as lit, like "someone lit on their back." You can also use lit in the terms of lights or "wow this is lit."
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Maren
9/14/2022 12:20:52 pm
A long time ago a doctor was called a leech but now a leech is a bug. I think that a big part of languages changing is because of slang and using one word in a new way.
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Tristan Cooper
9/14/2022 12:21:00 pm
I chose sick because in the old times it meant you were sick but now it means cool.
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Moses Taylor
9/14/2022 12:24:04 pm
It's weird how "I'm sick" or "He's sick" mean the same thing but "That's sick" is different.
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Haylee
9/14/2022 12:21:32 pm
I feel that they change because we try to say things easier and simplify things. Sly was a word used as deceiving and sneaky. It used to mean cleaver and we’ll knowing. It’s changed in the fact that it’s bad to be sly now.
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Tristan Cooper
9/14/2022 12:23:36 pm
I agree
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olivia
9/14/2022 12:21:57 pm
Cheater used to be a person that watched over a King's crown. However, now it means a dishonest person.
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Tay
9/14/2022 12:24:28 pm
I want a crown :)
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logan
9/14/2022 12:25:43 pm
Really!?
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Riley J
9/18/2022 01:37:34 pm
I didn’t think of that one
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Laynee
9/14/2022 12:22:11 pm
"Talking" it used to mean a conversation and now it means you kinda like each other romantically. I dont know why it changes over time
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Logan
9/14/2022 12:22:33 pm
"Bet" is a word that has a different meaning. Usually when we say "bet", we think we are placing a "bet" on something. Now when we say "bet", it now means okay, or let's do it. It has changed over the years because of how the generations have used the word "bet"
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Colton
9/14/2022 12:23:42 pm
I like your example.
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Colton Platz
9/14/2022 12:22:50 pm
I chose sick which used to mean ILL, now it means cool. People change so words change.
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Tristan Cooper
9/14/2022 12:23:57 pm
SAME
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Riley S.
9/14/2022 12:24:38 pm
I agree people change.
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Holley
9/14/2022 12:24:16 pm
the original meaning of leech was a doctor, now its a creepy blood sucking worm.
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Jace teller
9/14/2022 12:24:27 pm
Playing. When people say it now they might mean someone is lying like "you're playing with me" but the old word would mean like kids playing together or playing a sport
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Riley S.
9/14/2022 12:25:49 pm
I hadn't thought of that.
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Katie
9/14/2022 12:25:21 pm
The word "nice" used to mean you were stupid/ignorant, now it means you're pleasant.
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Riley J
9/18/2022 01:37:11 pm
That’s a good one
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Riley J
9/18/2022 01:36:57 pm
I think the word crazy has changed because it used to be literal where if someone was crazy they were insane and unstable but today since people have become so sarcastic the word crazy is usually reference so a cool thing that someone did or if someone is considered a party animal
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