Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

When did X become Y?

(108 Posts)
Wheniwasyourage Sun 15-May-16 17:54:36

When did "riding" become "horse-riding"? (Bicycle riding is "cycling".)

When did "skating" become "ice-skating"? (Roller-skating is a different activity.)

When did "nightlights" become "tealights" - and what on earth Is a tealight anyway?

I blame the Americans for the first two, but really don't understand the third one. Anybody got any ideas or any other suggestions?

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:39:49

Give me some pedantry about actual meaning and I'll moan with the best.

Words? Tcha! They are just tools to express meaning.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:37:58

You have misunderstood, wheniwas. I am happy that we are free to moan and for people who find the moaning tiresome to freely say what they think. Equally.

You moan. I complain that you moan. You complain that I complain that you moan.

It's called freedom, and Gransnet is a free microcosm smile

Wheniwasyourage Mon 16-May-16 17:24:43

You are obviously very tolerant, thatbags (except perhaps to some of the pedants among us and to our preference for certain ways of using the language) but please note that I started this thread in Pedants' corner just so that it might attract those who might agree with me and if you are more up to date/tolerant, don't let it get to you.

Thank you, hildajenniJ and JackyB for your explanations of tealights; either, or indeed both,would make sense!

Ana Mon 16-May-16 17:19:24

Exactly, GrandTea. 'Boning' has an alternative meaning these days as well...

GandTea Mon 16-May-16 17:17:19

But if you were boning a corset, you would be putting the bones in ?? confusing.

And if you were boning --- better not go there .

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:12:22

I think.

But never mind. I expect ppl know what I mean.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:11:51

They should be you.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:11:28

Even if they don't like it hmm

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:10:33

I wonder if the term de-boning has caught on because people didn't know the meaning of boning? If so, it's a bit lingo-snooty to get all uppity about it when it's perfectly obvious what to de-bone means.

Language is for communicating, after all. If people understand what you're saying, there shouldn't be a problem.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 17:08:02

It means the same. How lucky we are to have such a rich language that we can say the same thing in different ways.

Emptynester Mon 16-May-16 16:55:58

I don't mind being a pedant, if it means I am using the words correctly. My current pet hate is, if the definition of boning means to take the bones out of meat fish etc, then does de-boned mean they have been put back in? It is used in menus and cookery programmes very frequently.

soop Mon 16-May-16 16:46:54

bags smile

jeberdes83 Mon 16-May-16 16:03:28

Where we lived abroad, skiing was differentiated as "snow skiing" as opposed to water skiing!!!

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 15:56:08

Think I'd go for some help if I was getting in such a stew about a word (guys). Save your hate for things that really need it, like cruelty.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 15:54:48

You has been yous in Scotland forever, gettingonabit. Well, more precisely, one can refer to several people as yous, not one.

JackyB Mon 16-May-16 15:51:13

I've never heard 'night stand' for bedside table before! Just imagine asking a nice young salesman for a bed and one night stand!

grandMattie Mon 16-May-16 15:35:34

fairy cakes into "cupcakes" anyone?

soop Mon 16-May-16 14:30:30

When my youngest son was a wee lad he called a helicopter a "doodahdit" As far as I know he's now content to use the proper word.
I agree with ffinnochio Pickiness works both ways.

gettingonabit Mon 16-May-16 14:27:52

Hate, hate HATE guys. I also get the rage over being called my first name by young children (I always called my friends' parents "auntie/uncle".

"Bare with me" makes me laugh, as does "Chester Draws".

And since when has "you" become "yous"?.

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 13:25:51

Bags, not Bahs wink

thatbags Mon 16-May-16 13:25:21

When she was very young, Minibags's word for tea-light was twl-light. That's a Welsh w, as in cwm. I used to think that she was combining twinkle-light with tea-light. Twinkle, twinkle, little star was her favourite nursery song.

MrBahs and I still call them twl-lights.

hulahoop Mon 16-May-16 13:12:42

My hubby gets annoyed with steam train it is a steam locomotive I don't like patients being called clients ?

LullyDully Mon 16-May-16 13:07:38

I remember having a very laboured conversation with an American about raspberries. She though it must be an exotic Englih fruit but then cottoned on..." oh you mean raresberry." " Yes, raspberry!"

I first heard " Hey you guys" in the 80s and was amazed. Now teachers here use it all the time. Annoying.

MargaretinNorthant Mon 16-May-16 12:41:43

Take a chair..............I always want to ask where too?

And bare/bear with me.............Polar, Black, Grizzly??

Funnygran Mon 16-May-16 12:28:50

"Can I get a ……" instead of "please may I have."