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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask for words and phrases you no longer say?

213 replies

namezchangez · 21/02/2026 11:24

Not really an AIBU, but I wanted a good list! DH and I were talking about words and phrases we used to say frequently as children in the 80s and which now we rarely use or hear. Some of these refer to things that no longer exist, or which have become rare, some have fallen out of fashion, some now seem tasteless or prejudicial. Would love to hear some more! (And doesn’t need to be from the 80s.)

ozone layer
polystyrene
crybaby
wicked (as a term of approval)
teacake
space race
Indian summer
gooseberries

OP posts:
ChuckJacksonIvegottheNeedNSoul · 21/02/2026 14:44

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 21/02/2026 14:42

I tell the cat to naff off regularly! 😂

Naff off reminds me of Norman Stanley Fletcher of porridge.
Naff off Godber.

Tryagain26 · 21/02/2026 14:42

namezchangez · 21/02/2026 11:24

Not really an AIBU, but I wanted a good list! DH and I were talking about words and phrases we used to say frequently as children in the 80s and which now we rarely use or hear. Some of these refer to things that no longer exist, or which have become rare, some have fallen out of fashion, some now seem tasteless or prejudicial. Would love to hear some more! (And doesn’t need to be from the 80s.)

ozone layer
polystyrene
crybaby
wicked (as a term of approval)
teacake
space race
Indian summer
gooseberries

Why don't you say gooseberry or teacakes anymore?
Gooseberry crumble is delicious as are toasted teacakes I had one yesterday! I don't think either are particular words from the 90s.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 21/02/2026 14:42

I tell the cat to naff off regularly! 😂

StopThePigeonNow · 21/02/2026 14:39

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 21/02/2026 13:43

I still say Piss Off, Teacake, Polystyrene, Wazzock, Twonk. I still have a CD player and Dvd player!
Plenty of bouncy castles here (S Yorkshire)

One I haven't heard in years is coursey- pavement. That could be regional though.

Also SY and I still say most of the things on listed so far. I never use coursey but I do say coursey edge for kerb.

Sayings I haven’t heard in ages are things like get stuffed, stuff off, shut your neck, stop mithering, tonguing/frenching for snogging, cock of whichever place you lived in for someone that was good at fighting, manking (always used to get asked by grandparents if I was manking yet 😂.

StrongLikeMamma · 21/02/2026 14:37

Wally
Yuppie
Walkman
Wicked (meaning good)

Nosejobnelly · 21/02/2026 14:36

Someone being described as ‘a vegetable’ when they’re in a vegetative state.

Nosejobnelly · 21/02/2026 14:34

Gooseberry is ‘third wheel’ now!

Nosejobnelly · 21/02/2026 14:33

Ladette!

Nosejobnelly · 21/02/2026 14:32

mogtheexcellent · 21/02/2026 13:37

Piss off and naff off are the ones I miss most.

I still say ‘piss off’

HeartyBlueRobin · 21/02/2026 14:27

My.mum used to say you're either in or out, you're like a wandering *. 😱. Definitely not PC and not something I'd ever say.

Eiderdown
Continental quilt

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 21/02/2026 14:24

Phonograph
Doodlebug
Horseless carriage
Telegram

CloudPop · 21/02/2026 14:24

Skyping - ie making a video call - not that long ago really, and now completely obsolete

Sahara123 · 21/02/2026 14:23

I’ve become a bit obsessed with Call the Midwife and have started all over. I notice they never say someone is pregnant , but are “ in the family way “ . Currently in 1962!

StopThePigeonNow · 21/02/2026 14:23

LiveLaughLidl · 21/02/2026 12:26

DVD, MP3 player, CD / CD player
born in the 90s here!

We got dd15 a cd player for Christmas. She loves it!

mjhx · 21/02/2026 14:20

tilypu · 21/02/2026 12:21

The word 'wet' to describe someone a bit hapless. I do say people use it on here, which is what reminded me of it.
Foibles. Great word, think I might try to use it more.

I say 'stop being a wet lettuce'😂

Silverbirchleaf · 21/02/2026 14:19

Xeroxing - for photocopying

Bum - mild expletive use, used in the Winter Olympics thread,and thought I haven’t heard that use for ages

nancy- boy - effeminate, gay *

poof - homosexual *

jobby - meaning poo (sorry, lowering the tone)

  • it’s good we don’t use these phrases anymore
OSupergran · 21/02/2026 14:19

"Male chauvinist pig" or variations on "chauvinist" were heard all the time on the soaps! Now they're just plain old misogynists, I expect.

"Skill" to mean cool. Some of my friends tried to get it into common parlance but it didn't really take off where I lived.

Prat, nit, etc

ChuckJacksonIvegottheNeedNSoul · 21/02/2026 14:11

UltimateLuxury · 21/02/2026 13:11

Nitty gritty- as soon as I was told the origin of it and seem to still hear it everywhere

There's great soul record by Shirley Ellis ..The Nitty Gritty

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 21/02/2026 14:09

I definitely still say teacake and gooseberry! (unless it's to describe a person maybe?) also wassock and wally. Quite often call DD a wally. Still say minging, it's a brilliant word.

Still say video - it's the name of the setting on my phone camera for a start, I don't know what else I'd call it? DDs school has a tuck shop.

I don't say plimsolls, which we lived in as kids. I don't know that last time I saw some actually!
Chinny reckon,
talk to the hand,
do I look bovvered,
whasuuup (in the style of the budweiser frogs!),
Chicken (as in scared)
Tight as in cool or friends, I say it now but I mean someone who doesn't spend money!

caravantulips · 21/02/2026 14:02

TakeTheCuntingQuichePatricia · 21/02/2026 12:24

My mum used to call us "you dirty arab" thankfully that's stopped!

I came on here to say the same thing! When my 20 year old was a baby I started to say “you dirty little Arab” as I was wiping his face then stopped myself half way. It was something my grandma always said to us as kids and it wasn’t until then that I’d really thought about it!

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 21/02/2026 13:58

UltimateLuxury · 21/02/2026 13:11

Nitty gritty- as soon as I was told the origin of it and seem to still hear it everywhere

If it’s the explanation I think it is, it’s rubbish. It’s folklore, urban myth. Same with the supposed origin of ‘picnic’.

QwestSprout · 21/02/2026 13:51

Anyone who never says teacake anymore needs more Tunnock's in their lives.

Plinketyplonks · 21/02/2026 13:50

I heard gooseberry this morning when we were offered it as a jam to go with scones in a cafe. Polystyrene we use as tiny bits of it are washed up on our beaches after this wild weather we’ve had!

ScarlettSarah · 21/02/2026 13:50

'The blind leading the blind' - feels a bit wrong/ableist.

'Tranny'.

'Thong/g-string' - are they still a thing?

HK04 · 21/02/2026 13:47

ScreamingInfidelities · 21/02/2026 13:47

I’m a teacher and I still take a playpiece to school 😂

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Brilliant 🤣👏

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