Linguistics.

hvacker

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I was thinking about how many old sayings are still used but
few know what they mean or their origins.

”Going haywire"
"Being up to snuff"
"Do not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate"
What are "Ink Wells, Blotters, Fountain Pens" used for?
What are "Phone Booths", "Pay Phones", "Phone Books"?
Why is a carpet a "Shag Carpet"? The word shag has lost it's origins
What's the use for a "Church Key", "Skeleton Key"?
Are these for cars? "Fender skirts, Running Boards, Rumble Seat, Buggy Whip"?
"And that's all Hunky Dory"

"The times they are a changing" Dylan
 

Mackaydon

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Recently, I asked my grandson to "roll up" his rear seat window.
He had no idea what that meant--never having been in a car before with 'roll up' windows.'
Suddenly, I felt 'old school'; again.
Don.....
 

4x4x4

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......yup . . .
Gay
Rats !
Adding machine
Answering machine
Floor boards
Chrome bumpers
Victory garden
Incandescent bulbs
Charge plate
Free ride
Cassette tape
Shoe shine
Beatnik
Rewind
Coat check
Blue stamps /Green stamps
Leaded gas
"Soup to nuts"
"Tune it in"
"Break the ice"
"Bite the bullet"
"Kick the bucket"
"Cutting off your nose to spite your face"
"Small fry"
"I'm pulling your leg"
"Adding fuel to the fire"
"Take the bull by the horns"
"Cop a cigarette, drink ect.."
.....and coming soon.....
Carburetor
Working vacation
Florescent bulbs
Shoe leather
Family meals
Conversation (non electronic)
Repair (now replace)
Dictionary / books /paperbacks
Cafeteria
Algebra
Paper
Car keys
............ Geeze , I'm experienced (old) !
 

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boogeyman

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Sad thing I saw at an antique mall. I saw this little boy staring at some rotary phones like he was looking at devices from ET. His grandpa was trying to explain it to him holding his smart phone next to it. Poor little guy just couldn't wrap his head around the dial. Now you're thinking that's sad right? The truly sad thing was my 40ish son in law walking behind me asking what's this every ten seconds. That's a phone pole insulator, that's a plane for making moulding before routers were invented. That's an acoustic modem, where you dialed up a BBS and placed the handset on to use your computer. A BBS? An old old school website.
Road maps!?!? Son those are old school GPSs! I KID YOU NOT!!!
 

4x4x4

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Sad thing I saw at an antique mall. I saw this little boy staring at some rotary phones like he was looking at devices from ET. His grandpa was trying to explain it to him holding his smart phone next to it. Poor little guy just couldn't wrap his head around the dial. Now you're thinking that's sad right? The truly sad thing was my 40ish son in law walking behind me asking what's this every ten seconds. That's a phone pole insulator, that's a plane for making moulding before routers were invented. That's an acoustic modem, where you dialed up a BBS and placed the handset on to use your computer. A BBS? An old old school website.
Road maps!?!? Son those are old school GPSs! I KID YOU NOT!!!


Yea , that's true ..... is I was packing up to move from the house my son was born , I unboxed a 70s vintage , orange dial wall phone. My son fingered the orange coiled and asked what it is . The next minutes saw tutelage on the fine art of "speed dialing"!
 

RGINN

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Well here's a couple of sayins nobody will get, unless maybe they're from the south. 'Wilder than a peach orchard boar', referring to someone who was basically crazy and out of control, 'Sh*ttin in tall cotton', which meant a good situation, as we always liked pullin bolls in tall cotton as you didn't have to get down on your knees to pull it, I guess. And if it meant goin to the bathroom nobody could see you. And I have my grandpa's church key. It say's 'Coors' on it, and I ain't got no use for it, but I keep it.
 

Rebel - KGC

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Well here's a couple of sayins nobody will get, unless maybe they're from the south. 'Wilder than a peach orchard boar', referring to someone who was basically crazy and out of control, 'Sh*ttin in tall cotton', which meant a good situation, as we always liked pullin bolls in tall cotton as you didn't have to get down on your knees to pull it, I guess. And if it meant goin to the bathroom nobody could see you. And I have my grandpa's church key. It say's 'Coors' on it, and I ain't got no use for it, but I keep it.
"COORS"! LOL! COULDA been DOORS of the church... dunno.
 

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against the wind

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I found a brass ring today.
 

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boogeyman

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Yea , that's true ..... is I was packing up to move from the house my son was born , I unboxed a 70s vintage , orange dial wall phone. My son fingered the orange coiled and asked what it is . The next minutes saw tutelage on the fine art of "speed dialing"!
Mentioning phones, back when I was a real young pup, one of the old boys that worked with my grand pa would hear the phone ringing and yell "Hey I think your phones runnin over!". Cracked me up every time he said it.
 

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hvacker

hvacker

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Coming on like gang busters!
I know this is used a lot but my bet is many even y'all older ones won't know where it came from.
I do remember. If it was a radio show I don't know but I do remember Gang Busters on early TV. About 1950.
The show was about catching the bad guys like the Barker Gang and Dillinger Louie "the Actor" Sutton.
The show would begin with boots marching in step. It showed prison guards at night inside the walls.

BYW Louie Sutton went on to write a book on his exploits. He was proud that he never hurt anyone. Unless
robbing banks doesn't count. Louie said he wished there had been as much money robbing banks as there was in writing books.
 

boogeyman

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Got another one! Watching news, and the lady was at an antique show and happened on a portable typewriter. The people in the studio asked her to type on it. She says "I've never used one of these." This lady is late 30s early 40s!!! Next she is looking at some new wood signs. She asks the vendor, "Are these old or did you make them?" duh yeah, freshly made boards with letters stenciled on & airbrushed accents aren't antique! You can find the same at Walmart cheaper! Ya gotta love the news folks they're so special...............
 

releventchair

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If something was consumed or used up fast ,like too many b.b.' s in a day , Dad described it as " like sh%# through a tin horn".
 

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