[Elecraft] Of words and such

Don Wilhelm donwilh at embarqmail.com
Fri Apr 26 17:25:44 EDT 2019


It likely depends on which area of the US you are in.
I don't know about the current vernacular, but where I grew up in 
Central Eastern Ohio in the 1950s and 1960s, cigarettes were known as 
"fags", and a 'fag break' would be a perfectly acceptable expression.

I once heard a broadcast from KDKA in Pittsburg, PA where several 
language expressions that were unique to that area were cited.  The one 
that sticks in my mind is "chuckle" referring to a pothole in the road.
A lot depends on the context.  I remember my Grandmother referring to 
"Go dowm celler to do the wershing" on Mondays.

Even within the USA, there is a wide variety of local expressions like 
that.  When I first moved to NC, I did a 2nd take the first time I heard 
someone say they had to "carry their Mother to the doctor"!

73,
Don W3FPR



On 4/26/2019 4:53 PM, Andy McMullin via Elecraft wrote:
> You are so right. So many people seem to guess what words or phrases mean without bothering to determine what the rest of society agrees that they mean. Then they expect you to understand their personal interpretation.
> 
> However, I’d add that it’s also useful to remember George Bernard Shaw and his “two countries divided by a common language”. Try suggesting a “fag break” to workers in the USA (as I did one coffee time in the 1970’s).
> 


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