Keeping pace

[vvvexation]

Sometimes, it seems, the times change so fast that language has a tough time keeping up.

For example, I see that marketers are starting to use the phrase "This is not your grandfather's X" for values of X that did not exist in any form whatsoever as little as fifteen years ago.

I imagine it's only a matter of time before "your grandfather's X" refers to anything six months or more out of date.

*sigh*

Comments

[ocicat.livejournal.com]

Not really related to your rant, but my favorite useage of the phrase was on a T-shirt for a campus Lindy Hop group:

"This is not your grandfather's dancing!

(picture of lindy hoppers)

...Oh wait. Yes it is."

[terpsichoros.livejournal.com]

I remember, before they euthanized the brand, "This is not your father's Oldfolksmobile." That was true - my parents was a much more reliable car than anything GM made since 1980.

[elgecko.livejournal.com]

It's a play on a wildly successful car commercial form the 80's and 90's. Oldsmobile were trying to shed a reputation for making styles that were suited for old men. They developed the slogan "This is NOT your father's Oldsmobile". It caught on as a marketing campaign but the cars were still not the best. The phrase later on got expanded in usage and exaggerated in scope, yielding what you have now. =)

[flwyd.livejournal.com]

This is not yourgrandfathersspace.com

[nonlinearsystem.livejournal.com]

This is not your grandfather's anagram generator:

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html

Best of luck!
(bet sock flu)