The use of 'Gosh'...in real life?

[JinglingHellsBells]

I've recently seen posters using this on MN yet in real life I don't know anyone using it in speech.

The only person I know who uses it a lot is my Mum's neighbour, in her late 80s, and even as a child I thought it was quite antiquated and '1950s'.

I simply don't know anyone who says that word now.

(and I'm solidly middle class with educated middle class friends, if that makes any difference.)

*greenoak

“Golly” is a crasis, a contraction of “God-less”. It was used to taunt those who weren’t following Abrahamic religions, so those who weren’t white. A “good golly” was a black who had been converted to Christianity. *

Thanks for confirming this was racist language, @greenoak.

I loved your phrase “unhinged contingent” too.

I’m sorry to those who objected to my use of “handicapped”. I didn’t know it was considered offensive, and now I won’t use it. (See how easy that was? How odd that I didn’t need to launch into batshit ad hominem attacks on @WhattheHhashappened).

I say Gosh/ goodness when I'm front of kids and elderly relatives. Any situation which requires me to channel my inner Duchess of Cambridge.

I say gosh all the time and I'm definitely not posh.

I use it, I'm 47. I use blimey a lit too, and crikey.

I blame the Famous Five!

Glad to have been of service, @breadcakebiscuits and @WhattheHhashappened.

Sociolinguistics, along with the Farrow & Ball chart, are my MN specialist subjects. [De-registers until next time].

Saying “Gosh!” while looking at a Farrow and Ball chart must surely be the most Mumsnet activity ever .