We were at an Olive Garden with our daughter and had just ordered our meals. We always get the salad and bread sticks. When the salad was brought to the table I asked my wife if she wanted to "toss the salad". Innocent enough question in my mind. Our daughter told us not to use that expression but wouldn't tell us why. I waited till I got home and googled it and was surprised with the disgusting result. How does the younger generation come up with this stuff. I guess I've been forced to never look at a salad the same way again.
People's vocabulary skills certainly are lacking
- Thread starter P&R Fan
- Start date
I do now thanks to google.Its a good word.
Nah, don't let the idiots hijack the language. If the younger set wants to create meanings for things like that they can wallow in their own ignorance.
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I also had to tell my folks to stop using that phrase. When they asked why, not being one to lie to them, I told them. Then, they asked me how I knew what it meant. I asked them if they remember old girlfriend they thought was the sweetest thing...they changed the subject.
MOONDAWG
US Veteran
In feminine terms here in the Deep South "Bumbershoot" equals "Parasol"
THE PILGRIM
Member
Considering that they ran us out of Great Britain about 300 years ago,
we are no longer required to use all their local jargon.
we are no longer required to use all their local jargon.
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Shooting Padre
US Veteran
Of course I know what a bumbershoot is! The problem is I don't know where to get a license for them or when the season opens. I think I need #6 shot though.
I quit using big words because I didn't want people to think I was being sesquipedalian.
Ogandydancer
Member
I am in the South. and, have heard that one all my years. I thought everyone knew what Bumbershoot was.
What I think is totally lacking in vocabulary skills is having to use vulgar language to express oneself. I have always been told that that shows the lack of command of the English language.
There are several terms that are associated with my former occupation that I would not expect other folks to know. Some of these were: Stretch, Z or S twist, turns per inch, Draught and many more. They are all associated with the rubber covering industry.
What I think is totally lacking in vocabulary skills is having to use vulgar language to express oneself. I have always been told that that shows the lack of command of the English language.
There are several terms that are associated with my former occupation that I would not expect other folks to know. Some of these were: Stretch, Z or S twist, turns per inch, Draught and many more. They are all associated with the rubber covering industry.
Jack Flash
Member
Ok, it's not British. But we were having such fun.It's not regional, just very dated according to the Interwebz. I'm excused for not knowing until I looked it up as I come from the UK.
Did you have to throw a spanner in the works?
Frank237
Absent Comrade
When I was on the cop job (1975 to 2007) I'd have to ask victims or witnesses for written statements to describe an incident or an accident.
What I would usually get in return was a jumbled mess that was very tough to understand...or follow. With numerous spelling errors...not even errors....as if they simply didn't TRY to spell the word at all. And many times the writers were College students or recent graduates! Or held jobs that SHOULD have required the ability to communicate.
I will always recall having an older Gent do a statement for me back in 1980 or so. I should have kept it. It was as if it was written by one of the cast of "Deadwood" minus the swearing. Or similar to how Rooster Cogburn spoke in "True Grit". Written using descriptive words and phrases. Easily understood and conveying a true sense of the incident.
What I would usually get in return was a jumbled mess that was very tough to understand...or follow. With numerous spelling errors...not even errors....as if they simply didn't TRY to spell the word at all. And many times the writers were College students or recent graduates! Or held jobs that SHOULD have required the ability to communicate.
I will always recall having an older Gent do a statement for me back in 1980 or so. I should have kept it. It was as if it was written by one of the cast of "Deadwood" minus the swearing. Or similar to how Rooster Cogburn spoke in "True Grit". Written using descriptive words and phrases. Easily understood and conveying a true sense of the incident.
Only great minds can read this
This is weird, but interesting!
If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid too
Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
This is weird, but interesting!
If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid too
Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Alpo
Member
I thought something said by one of the cast of Deadwood, minus the swearing, would be total silence.
I have a friend, who's about 15 yrs younger than I am. I mentioned the word cowcatcher in a sentence, and he had no idea what that was. I knew what a bumpershoot is. I will Google this "toss" nonsense.
YIKES!
YIKES!
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Rastoff
US Veteran
Yes, this is a completely American term.It's not regional, just very dated according to the Interwebz. I'm excused for not knowing until I looked it up as I come from the UK.
My dad used this when I was small. However, he used bumperchute rather than bumbershoot. Meh, I don't count an obscure word like this to be a lack of vocabulary. There are words used every day that most of use don't know. Do you know what stercoraceous means? How about metrology? I don't fault anyone for not knowing them as they are uncommon.
However, I do agree that there is a general lack of learning/teaching in schools these days. While at lunch one day with my in-laws, a young man walked up to our table. He was their neighbor. I noticed a cast on his hand and inquired about it. He told me it was due to a fight. I asked, "What precipitated the altercation?" He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language and said, "Wuh?" Yeah, not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
OLDSTER
Member
I believe a "bumbershoot" is the same as a "gistenflabber" 
