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Terms Which Have Disappeared

Messages
16,814
Location
New York City
I've heard it in any number of old movies. Usually it was said by some young person. It must have been an instance of youth culture language. Imagine Jimmy Olsen saying it to Superman in the old TV series.

Hopefully, Superman would have dope-slapped Jimmy upside his head for insolence - he was talking to Superman after all. Kidding aside, since you've heard it in many movies, your assessment seems logical. Thank you.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,279
Location
New Forest
In "The Lost Weekend," one of the female characters says "natch" for "naturally" and I have always wondered if that abbreviation was in common use at the time or just something that was specific to that character.
She probably said Snatch, but it got censored.
 

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
Old 1930's union strike term...."alley apple".

It was half a street paving brick, easy to carry and conceal in a jacket pocket, kept as a weapon during strikes, and easily discarded if approached by police.

Regards! Michaelson
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,279
Location
New Forest
That half a street paving brick brought back a reminisce that my wife used when she was a paramedic. When some drunk couldn't stand up, or was about to topple, one of the ambulance crew would observe. Any moment now and he will be enjoying a pavement pizza.
 

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
Yep, at least on the railroads and coal mines of West Virginia and Southern Ohio at the turn of the 20th century.

That said, though, a road apple or horse apple is still the same. A turd. An alley apple was half a paving brick. ;-)

Regards !Michaelson
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,279
Location
New Forest
I thought an alley apple, road apple or horse apple was a turd.
Never heard of those expressions.

When I was a small boy, I loved watching Western Movies. There would always be one on TV on Friday evenings. One thing that still sticks in my mind. Rawhide was a global success, it had everything that a small boy loved. But one thing always baffled me. When the cattle stampeded, you would see a close up of some poor steer's eyes. It looked like it was scared witless. Now tell me, how is it that forty thousand terrified steers would rampage across the plain, or down the main street, and after they had gone, and the dust settled, there was never a single turd? It used to bug me as a kid, but I knew better than to ask an adult.
It might be sixty years too late, but can anyone answer?
 
Never heard of those expressions.

When I was a small boy, I loved watching Western Movies. There would always be one on TV on Friday evenings. One thing that still sticks in my mind. Rawhide was a global success, it had everything that a small boy loved. But one thing always baffled me. When the cattle stampeded, you would see a close up of some poor steer's eyes. It looked like it was scared witless. Now tell me, how is it that forty thousand terrified steers would rampage across the plain, or down the main street, and after they had gone, and the dust settled, there was never a single turd? It used to bug me as a kid, but I knew better than to ask an adult.
It might be sixty years too late, but can anyone answer?

Hollywood magic. :p
 
Messages
10,560
Location
My mother's basement
Hollywood magic. :p

Beat me to it.

And only in the movies would you ever see people looking so clean and well-groomed in the midst of a months-long journey along the wagon trail.

Put me in a late-model air-conditioned minivan for a couple of days without a shower and a shave and a change of clothes and I get to looking and smelling like that guy flopped out in the store doorway at 2:30 a.m.
 
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scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,160
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Never heard of those expressions.

When I was a small boy, I loved watching Western Movies. There would always be one on TV on Friday evenings. One thing that still sticks in my mind. Rawhide was a global success, it had everything that a small boy loved. But one thing always baffled me. When the cattle stampeded, you would see a close up of some poor steer's eyes. It looked like it was scared witless. Now tell me, how is it that forty thousand terrified steers would rampage across the plain, or down the main street, and after they had gone, and the dust settled, there was never a single turd? It used to bug me as a kid, but I knew better than to ask an adult.
It might be sixty years too late, but can anyone answer?

Cattleroos.
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
A word that seemed to have disappeared in the 70s-90s, but has made a big comeback is Hobo. I have been surprised at how many times I have heard it on TV. My friends teen age daughters use it allot.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
32,962
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Hobo -- a vagrant who works wherever he can find it and then moves on.

Tramp -- a vagrant who travels from place to place and avoids working.

Bum -- someone who stays in one place and avoids working.

It's all about the nuance.
 
Hobo -- a vagrant who works wherever he can find it and then moves on.

Tramp -- a vagrant who travels from place to place and avoids working.

Bum -- someone who stays in one place and avoids working.

It's all about the nuance.
lol lol Same difference to me. :p Al Jolson described a Bum as #2. "Why work your way for wealth when you can travel for your health." :p
 
Messages
14,993
Location
Buffalo, NY
Sign language dysfunction... heard a story recently from a young fellow who was riding in a car with an older colleague. A car pulled up next to them at a light with a bunch of young girls who were giggling and being cute and flirty. The older fellow wanted to flirt back and motioned to them with his hands in a circling action to roll down their window. The young guy was on the floor because the girls had absolutely no idea what his gesture meant. Told to me as a true story.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,160
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
I can so see that happening , Alan. In fact, I have had to change the gesture to a quick tap on the window, and then point down. Young'uns don't know what a hand cranked window is in a car.
 

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