Strange Things We Say

[saundby]

I'll admit to having an arm's-length relationship with popular culture. But sometimes it goes beyond that.

I usually greet my wife at the door when she gets home from work. Last night I was busy. But I wanted to let her know I'd be there presently, so I hollered out, "I'll be right there just as soon as I finish this joint!"

Fortunately she knew what I meant. It only occurred to me later how it could be misinterpreted, then I felt pretty silly.

It was, of course, a solder joint on my 8085 homebrew computer.

Anyone else got a way with words?

 

[Ole Juul]

Fats Waller sings "The Joint is Jumpin", and we often hear "let's blow this joint". It's a pretty versatile word. Some years ago an English lady was telling me about how she would usually visit with her mother on Sundays and they would share a joint. I was young and naive and did a double take, but of course a roast is called a joint. Now I'm a lot older and have seen a lot more of the world so I would no longer be surprised if it was either meaning. I've also figured out that the meaning of any word depends on who says it.

 

[carlsson]

Isn't it the other way around, that common words get adopted by certain groups of people who assign less socially accepted meanings to them? It could be drug or sex related, without having to mention any particular words. Then average people get so used to those alternative meanings that they forgot any original use of the words.

 

[pontus]

Isn't it the other way around, that common words get adopted by certain groups of people who assign less socially accepted meanings to them? It could be drug or sex related, without having to mention any particular words. Then average people get so used to those alternative meanings that they forgot any original use of the words.

such as the number 69