A few hours ago, I wrote a post on Face Book about how I was going to continue to 'slog' through something. My friend, Virginia, a librarian and definite authority on all things 'wordy' made a comment. She stated slog was a word you never hear anymore.
She is absolutely correct and her statement invited my mind to make a list of other words which have gone the way of the horse and buggy. They are still words; they are just seldom used and therefore, many people don't recognize them. (At least people under the age of twenty-something.)
I tried some of them with my teenage grandchildren. A couple knew the meaning of a few of the words. This is my list with absolutely no survey or scientific evidence whatsoever.
1) gist..as in "He didn't get the gist of it."
2) filling station...no one can afford to fill their gas tank
3) service station...no service is offered
4) what-not...as in "She put it on a what-not shelf" or a term meaning etcetera
5) bureau...part of a bedroom suite
6) geography...as a school subject
7) eversharp...now called a mechanical pencil
8) dime store...every small town had one
9) arithmetic...another school subject, now called math
10) dresser scarves...used to keep tops of dressers clean and show off embroidery
She is absolutely correct and her statement invited my mind to make a list of other words which have gone the way of the horse and buggy. They are still words; they are just seldom used and therefore, many people don't recognize them. (At least people under the age of twenty-something.)
I tried some of them with my teenage grandchildren. A couple knew the meaning of a few of the words. This is my list with absolutely no survey or scientific evidence whatsoever.
1) gist..as in "He didn't get the gist of it."
2) filling station...no one can afford to fill their gas tank
3) service station...no service is offered
4) what-not...as in "She put it on a what-not shelf" or a term meaning etcetera
5) bureau...part of a bedroom suite
6) geography...as a school subject
7) eversharp...now called a mechanical pencil
8) dime store...every small town had one
9) arithmetic...another school subject, now called math
10) dresser scarves...used to keep tops of dressers clean and show off embroidery
11) oxfords...a type of dress shoe
12) soot...black particles from a train or chimney
13) rubbers...short boots placed over shoes
14) icebox...name for all refrigerators even when they no longer used ice
15) basin...granite container for washing feet, soaking clothes, and what-not (see #4)
16) linoleum...a floor covering in one piece instead of tile
17) sweeper...now called vacuum
18) china...dishes, not the country
19) dirge...very somber music
20) dial phone...no push buttons
21) yardstick...everyone uses a tape measure and some YARD (36") sticks are 40" ??
22) drugstore...now a pharmacy
23) coffee pot...now coffee maker
24) trudge...walk with trepidation ( a bit like slog)
25) slusk...a word my German grandma used to use meaning don't drag your feet
I'm certain this is not a complete list and you may still use some of these all the time. You can use this as a topic of conversation at the dinner table. Think of other words you no longer hear or use and add to the list.
12) soot...black particles from a train or chimney
13) rubbers...short boots placed over shoes
14) icebox...name for all refrigerators even when they no longer used ice
15) basin...granite container for washing feet, soaking clothes, and what-not (see #4)
16) linoleum...a floor covering in one piece instead of tile
17) sweeper...now called vacuum
18) china...dishes, not the country
19) dirge...very somber music
20) dial phone...no push buttons
21) yardstick...everyone uses a tape measure and some YARD (36") sticks are 40" ??
22) drugstore...now a pharmacy
23) coffee pot...now coffee maker
24) trudge...walk with trepidation ( a bit like slog)
25) slusk...a word my German grandma used to use meaning don't drag your feet
I'm certain this is not a complete list and you may still use some of these all the time. You can use this as a topic of conversation at the dinner table. Think of other words you no longer hear or use and add to the list.
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