Saturday, March 9, 2013

Criminy, that strumpet caused a kerfuffle in the boudoir. I'm flabergasted...

I know back in December I wrote an entry about how those language stifling little so-and-so's over at Time Magazine wanted to remove words from our vocabularies.  The bloody nerve of them, hey?  But today I'd like to put forward a language related idea for your consideration.

There are so many great words I read in old books that we just don't use anymore ... really good, expressive words that are fun to say ... can we please bring some of them back?

I've compiled a list of words that I believe we need to resurrect below, conveniently put into a sentence to give you an idea of how you might incorporate them into your every day speech.

You're welcome.

* Criminy .ie. "Crinimy, that girl's skirt is so short it could be a belt!" 
* Strumpet .ie. "Can you believe that strumpet? If her skirt were any shorter it'd be a belt!" 
* Kerfuffle .ie. "She's creating quite a kerfuffle with that belt-like skirt." 
* Boudoir .ie. "Couldn't she have picked a less belt-like skirt when she was in her boudoir?" 
* Flabergasted .ie. "I'm flabergasted that she managed to squeeze into that teeny little belt skirt."

So, my dears, you mission is to adopt these words and use them as much as you can in your day-to-day conversations. If we all work together, I believe we can bring them back into popular use, despite what those word haters over at Time would like us to do.

Yeah, sorry, I'm still a little sore about that.  You're on my list, Time Magazine!  I've got my eye on you...

62 comments:

  1. Criminy always reminds me of Helga Pataki from Hey Arnold, because she always said it. I like strumpet :)

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    1. I'm pretty fond of strumpet too. Probably because it sounds like crumpet. Mmmm, crumpets....

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  2. I always thought there were 2 b's in flabergasted. Hmph! Live and learn, I guess.

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    1. I don't know ... just checked the urban dictionary and they only use one. Perhaps it's geographically specific?

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  3. I will try.

    Which are the old books you don't use anymore?

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  4. I also though there were two b's in the f-word above. Maybe it's optional?

    I always try to sneak the word obsequious in whenever possible. I also like obdurate and obtuse.

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    1. According to the urban dictionary there's only one, but maybe some people use two?

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  5. Funny how words, go out of use. I have a few older friends and relatives that occasionally say something that seems very antiquated. I just love when a 90 something year old says something like "by gosh, by golly". That's really swearing at it's cleanest.

    Today we have come so far with how brazen but comfortable with words. Who needs criminy when we have shit and f***. And for strumpet..slut get's used all the time.

    (hope you don't get two comments..I tried to send one and it disappeared.)


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    1. I had a friend who used to use "by jingey crikey" all the time, which I thought was terribly expressive.

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  6. The exemplifications of the sentences you demonstrated, made me guffaw, which caused quite a loud outcry of amusement. Ooh I could get used to this olde worlde way of talking.

    Oh and bring back 'Egad'. I'm pretty sure that I'm the only person in civilization, still using that word. :)

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  7. I LOVE the word boudoir and use it quite frequently 'cause it just sounds so damn classy. Of course my kids still don't listen when I tell them to clean their boudoir. They think that sounds kinda dirty.

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    1. Now that I think about it, it does sound kind of dirty. Like if someone said "He made love to me in the boudoir", you'd get all sorts of mental images about where exactly on her body the boudoir was.

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  8. love those words!! especially kerfuffle, for some reason :) and I've been known to use criminy now and then! And I like Lily's idea of bringing back "egad." Love that word.

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  9. I thought a strumpet was a pastry dessert you get at coffee places.

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    1. No, that's a crumpet. Although I suppose you could be a crumpet strumpet, if you were particularly explicit in your pastry eating.

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  10. When did people stop using criminy? I use it all the time. Of course, I also say zoinks, which is dumb, since I don't even like Scooby Doo.
    Now that my kids are getting older and people their age are dressing in outfits similar to the example you used, I will certainly pledge to use "strumpet" on a regular basis. Thank you for the perfect word.

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    1. Wow, I haven't heard the word zoinks in quite a while! Personally, I used to love the one they used in the old Trixie Belden books, gleeps.

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  11. Bring back catamite as well! And furbelow!

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  12. I use two regularly as I'm often flabbergasted by the kerfuffles I witness around me and er, the ones I'm prone to creating myself.
    I'll look forward to using the other three more often and in particular I can't wait to start using 'strumpet', now there's a kerfuffle in the making. :)

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    1. I think strumpet is my favourite. It's my goal in life to become a brazen strumpet ;D

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  13. Strumpet has a nice ring to it...wouldn't object to being called a strumpet, in fact think we went through a phase of calling each other it while I was at uni....along with hussy and harlot, love the word harlot.

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    1. Ooh, harlot is a good one! Kind of makes you think of old Hollywood actresses, doesn't it.

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  14. Criminy! You are causing quite a kerfuffle with your hijinx and shenanigans! :)

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  15. Lol...where do I begin? I'd be here awhile, though. Guess I'll just say that you are one delightful-to-follow person! What a kerfuffle if you ever got tired of entertaining us!

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    1. LOL! Well I wouldn't want to cause a kerfuffle now, would I!

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  16. Oh Kellie, Yes, I'm all for some more criminy and kerfuffle.

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    1. Excellent! At this rate we'll have them back in everyday language in no time! Spiffing!

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  17. I use kerfuffle when I'm chatting with folks, it always grabs a bit of attention. Criminy is very Hey Arnold and I'm glad that cartoon is coming back on lately. I'm sure my friends and I could use flabergasted often lol.

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    1. Excellent! We'll have these words back in circulation in no time!

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  18. I'm flabergasted nobody ever thought of this before now. You're a criminy genius! (Did I get that right?)

    S

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    1. Thank you! And excellent use of the word criminy, by the way :D

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  19. I actually hear "kerfuffle" used on the news not too long ago. Granted, it was NPR, but still!!

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  20. whoops--that should have been "heard". I can hear, but not spell!

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  21. You'll love this when I was a beginning teacher working in remote Western QLD a Year 8 boy called me a...hussy! He obviously subscribed to your theories of lexiconolgy. Can't remember if I'd earned the title or not.

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    1. Eight years old and using words like hussy! I'm impressed! His parents must be proud.

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  22. I feel a bit weird now since I use most of those words kind of a lot. Esprcially Criminy!

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    1. Nah, just think, at least you won't have to worry about incorporating them into your language if they're already there!

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  23. I say criminy ALL THE TIME! Lol.. But I am totally snagging kerfuffle. I just like the sound of it! This post is the cat's pajamas! :D

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  24. OMG My ex just texted kerfuffle this week. Can we unressurect him?

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    1. Unressurect him? Is he dead? Is he a zombie? He's a zombie, isn't he. For god sake, don't let him bit you!

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  25. I'm totally flabergasted that anyone would want to remove such wonderful words. Who would want to cause such a kerfuffle tampering with them, as they are so beautiful in form. Anyway, let me go back to my boudoir to see what's happening. Oh what a strumpet, she's left the clothes everywhere, now I have to tidy up instead.

    Well Kellie, I did my best but couldn't get the other words in. I've always loved the word 'flabergasted'. So I shall adopt that one for now. Great post as usual.

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  26. Flabbergasted totally need s to be brought back. I'm glad we are all finally moving in the right direction...

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    1. It's a solid plan, I think. Today I make over people's vocabularies, tomorrow I take over the world.

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  27. You would love the list Mental Floss came up with "19 Old-Timey Slang Terms," including gems like "gazoozle" and "happy cabbage".
    http://mentalfloss.com/article/12266/19-old-timey-slang-terms-bolster-your-vocabulary
    This is not an endorsement...okay, yes it is.

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    1. I'm totally going to start using "the zings" when I have a hangover! That sounds much classier!

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  28. Hi, you're a funny lady. I am just dropping by from the "Blog Hoppin" to let you know you've been pinned. LOL. And I am your newest follower.

    http://darlenebnemeth.blogspot.ca/2013/02/make-me-laugh.html

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  29. i love the list. will you please use "didoes" for me. my mom says it all the time and it cracks me up. ie "she goes through all the didoes before she come tells you anything"

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    1. Wow ... I misread that word for a second there and though it said something else. I was going to ask why your mum's friend needed to go through a bunch of plastic willies before telling her something.

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  30. I am absolutely going to have to find a way to use "Criminy" because I just love that word... although kinda tough to in Texas, Slu

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    1. Yeah, I can see how it would be difficult to pull off with the accent. I'm lucky, the Aussie accent is as close to Cockney as you can get, so we manage it okay.

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  31. Criminy! I use 3 of 5 on a daily basis :)

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    1. Excellent! Now we just have to convince the rest of the world :D

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  32. I think I actually commented on that Time post. Unfortunately it's just the way of the world. Old world words get remodelled or removed, each generation comes up with their own words, two or more get joined together to make new ones, etc, etc, etc.

    I definitely think some need to go and it seems to be the crap Gen Ys have come up with. Adorkable?!?!?!? For fuck's sake!

    Now I can't remember for sure but I think they recently used strumpet on Mr and Mrs Murder on channel 10. I still hear boudoir occasionally on tv shows and every now and then kerfuffle and flabergasted pops up. I think it depends on the generations using them as Gen Xs and Boomers would still say them.

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