this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2024
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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Just realized that "upside down" means "the up side is down", making it upside down (lemmy.ml)
submitted 5 months ago by Binette@lemmy.ml to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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[–] db2@lemmy.world 18 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Go further. For example, people say 'gypped' without knowing it's a pejorative reference to the word 'Gypsy' which is itself a pejorative of the Romani.

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

My favorite recently is sophist from the pejorative Platonic definition. It really puts words like sophisticated in a different etymological light and subtle contextual meaning.

[–] Caboose12000@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What's sophist mean?

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophist_(dialogue)

Fake but convincing by argument, gaslighting, etc., generally by someone in a position like a professor, a judge, or a politician.

[–] Welt@lazysoci.al 0 points 5 months ago

And the Egyptians, too!

[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I remember learning this about 20ish years ago and telling my then-sister in law about it when I explained why I wasn't going to use it anymore. I got told I had a stick up my ass, and this was by a marginalized (gay, immigrant) woman. (Somewhat unrelated note - very grateful she's a former relation.)

So glad people have been learning and I've been hearing "gypped" less and less in recent years.

[–] ricdeh@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Some words have simply entered common use and become decoupled from their former meaning. Maybe your acquaintance was right.

[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Watching my own language means my "acquaintance" was right? I don't think I'm the one with a stick, if that's the case.

[–] Welt@lazysoci.al 0 points 5 months ago

Seems like Orwell was right