Words whose alternate usage has faded with history

[Argent Stonecutter]

Villein was between a freeman and a slave. In some places interchangeable with serf. All the fault of the collapse of Roman farming. They were often tied to the land rather than the landowner, and couldn't be sold unless the land they technically "rented" changed hands.

 

[Adeon Writer]

Decimation, litterally Deci-mation, “Tenth-maker”, means to reduce to one-tenth.

 

[danielravennest]

I did meet someone I suspect knew them when I was at worldcon in Boston and to say he was a bit different would be an understatement.

Hey, I was at Worldcon (Noreascon 2) in Boston in 1980.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Hey, I was at Worldcon (Noreascon 2) in Boston in 1980.

I was at Noreascon 3 ('89) so just missed you.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

Decimation, litterally Deci-mation, “Tenth-maker”, means to reduce to one-tenth.

Pretty sure historically it meant reduce 'by' 10% not 'to' 10%...

 

[Myficals]

Pretty sure historically it meant reduce 'by' 10% not 'to' 10%...

To quote myself...

Decimation. In modern usage, decimation is the complete, or near complete destruction of whatever is being decimated. Historically, it was an extreme punishment used by the Roman Army; if a legion was behaving especially badly, one of every ten soldiers would be executed as an example to the rest.

 

[Lewis Luminos]

I'll still call places dank if they are cold and damp.

That is the only meaning of the word that I am familiar with.

 

[Lewis Luminos]

Jopsy is correct, decimate means to reduce BY one tenth.

 

[Essence Lumin]

One whose old meaning I refuse to let die is hacker. It used to be pretty much analogous to white hats (or cyber security if you want to sound professional) but now most people think it only has darker implications.

I remember discussions sometime in '90s reminding people that a hackers were the good guys. The bad guys were crackers. Crackers never caught on.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Jopsy is correct, decimate means to reduce BY one tenth.

The common usage now has been around a long time.

The word has been used (loosely and unetymologically, to the irritation of pedants) since 1660s for "destroy a large but indefinite number of."

decimate | Origin and meaning of decimate by Online Etymology Dictionary

 

[Kara Spengler]

I remember discussions sometime in '90s reminding people that a hackers were the good guys. The bad guys were crackers. Crackers never caught on.

I still use crackers. In fact I am doing a cybersecurity/hacker presentation and I mention cracker, then mention that, yes, it is a synonym for black hats.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

I got into a huge argument with someone from Jesusland over "cracker" because he thought I was insulting people from his area.

I was actually using "cracker" specifically to refer to people who break copy protection schemes.

 

[danielravennest]

I got into a huge argument with someone from Jesusland over "cracker" because he thought I was insulting people from his area.

He must not patronize the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain then, or buy firecrackers.

 

[Fionalein]

back to doomsday...

... from hence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead ...

Now that sounds strange doesn't it - so the fast will escape judgement? Well no, quick used to mean "alive" back in the days.

 

[Essence Lumin]

There's a fairly large highway north of Philly called Street Road. That sounds a little wacky today but street used to mean paved when it was named so Paved Road.

 

[Arilynn]

Another two words a song reminded me of. Deaf pronounced deef in the '50s, and dumb. Mute would be the acceptable word nowadays I'd think.




First of all, that would be considered very offensive by today's standards.
Second, that doesn't rhyme.

“Deaf and dumb” can go DIAF.

But I would suggest that “mute” be politely kicked aside as well. Being d/Deaf has nothing to do with being mute, i.e., unable to talk. Some folks rely on speech, others use it when required, and still others choose to avoid it. Opting to strictly use sign, however, does not render one mute.