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I imagine it's only a matter of time before "your grandfather's X" refers to anything six months or more out of date.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

[vvvexation.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's not really a rant. I'm not annoyed by this usage, just somewhat bemused.

[vvvexation.livejournal.com]

As for the T-shirt, though, a candidate for student government at my high school once put up posters that said:

"They don't call him 'Tom' for nothing.

"...okay, they do. But hey! Vote for him anyway."

or words to that effect.

[rubicantoto.livejournal.com]

Did the shirt then babble on indecisively:

"Or *do* they call him that for nothing? I mean, aren't names just arbitrary identifiers to begin with? 'A rose by any other name' and all that..."

[vvvexation.livejournal.com]

Would've been interesting if it had, but it also would've lacked punch so it was probably good (from a campaigning perspective) that it didn't.