...new research suggests different social classes have stopped using different words for the thing we sit on in front of the television. The non-U (U as in upper class) “settee” is dying out and we all mostly say “sofa”. Then there’s the other thing we all sit on: we call it the loo or toilet indiscriminately now, irrespective of where we went to school.
Truly, we live in an egalitarian society! But who on earth cares about such things these days, anyway?
The giant pit of words that is the internet means we live radically less linguistically siloed lives, too. Perhaps this study will finally bury U and non-U. Of course, it won’t stop us judging each other based on how we talk; plenty of words and phrases make me clutch my pearls in horror. I have started compiling a list of my most irredeemable for 2024: Substack, sleepmaxxing, fridgescape, “passionate about content creation” and microbiome.
Over to you, Reader, what are your personal bugbears?
2 comments:
When I met my wife 24 years ago, she said couch and I said settee, but couch has since stuck with both of us.
The loo has been the bog my entire life tough
My personal bugbears are 'Kiddos', 'Doggos' and 'Holibobs'. Anyone who uses those gets immediately excised from my life, with no second chances
From the cats' point of view, in our humble abode, settee = sofa= scratching post. Creeping americanisms used by those who watch too much TV and film really grate. The worst example is "gotten", followed by "can I get" at a fast food counter. The most juvenile example, which really makes me squirm, is police farces which have replaced "SOCOs" with "CSIs" to mirror the US TV series. A further hint to British screenwriters is that British vehicles have number plates, not 4king licence plates.
Rant over until the next time . . .
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