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Have we accepted that "hacks" is the new word for "tips" now and how has that happened?

71 replies

A580Hojas · 10/06/2022 19:36

Are we also going to go along with

diaper
sidewalk
color
nite
garbage
check
candy
chips
dish soap
movie
cookie
vacation
elevator

why is hacks not tips de rigeur when all these others aren't?

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 11/06/2022 05:47

Hack isn't the American word for tip Confused

agree it's come from computing and life hacks. The idea of a hack is exploiting something. So for example frozen banana as a slimming treat would be a hack because it tastes sweet and creamy, so you're tricking your brain into thinking you've had something unhealthy, whereas a weight loss tip might be to replace chips as a side dish with baked potato.

Or it could mean exploiting by using something not for its original purpose, especially if the original purpose was rubbish. Toilet roll tubes as cable tidies or whatever.

Or (from computing) modifying something to add additional functionality.

BertieBotts · 11/06/2022 05:47

A closet isn't the same thing as a wardrobe either. A closet is a walk in cupboard.

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 05:58

A580Hojas · 10/06/2022 19:36

Are we also going to go along with

diaper
sidewalk
color
nite
garbage
check
candy
chips
dish soap
movie
cookie
vacation
elevator

why is hacks not tips de rigeur when all these others aren't?

"Hacks" has a different meaning to "tips", so although I can't ever imagine using it myself, it doesn't make me angry.

What's your take on capital letters at the beginning of sentences?

SmiledWtherisingsun · 11/06/2022 06:02

Mumteedum · 10/06/2022 20:48

I also hate "shout outs" and "calling someone out". What was calling someone out called before? Pulling someone up? Urgh. I know language evolves but it's been accelerated by social media.

Urgh indeed! Everyone uses this now. Even bloody newsreaders.
There are literally loads of alternatives that wouldn't make people sound so unintelligent!

He challenged her
She took issue with this
They questioned the validity of this action
He wondered if this was the right thing to do
She suggested this was not the best approach
They pointed out the hypocrisy
He argued that this was a bad idea
She disagreed with him
He challenged her on this

And so on!

Footle · 11/06/2022 06:06

Would it be going against the spirit of the thread to prefer "rigueur" spelt correctly?

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 06:26

Mumteedum · 10/06/2022 20:48

I also hate "shout outs" and "calling someone out". What was calling someone out called before? Pulling someone up? Urgh. I know language evolves but it's been accelerated by social media.

"Call (someone) out" dates back to the 1700s, whilst "pull (someone) up" came a century later. "Shout out" from the mid 19th century.

@halfsiesonapotnoodle Phrasal verbs are pretty much totally British English in origin, and have only "recently", (in linguistic terms) been absorbed into US English. Because US English is more widely spoken, particularly in the media, films, TV etc, it's more noticeable when the language undergoes a "shift". Over the last couple of centuries, US English has absorbed a fair bit of British English that prior to mass travel and communications, it didn't use as commonplace. US standard English was far closer to the English used in the UK 150-200 years ago.

So, yes, language evolves, and as the most eminent linguists of our times say, "how fascinating is that evolution" but it's wrong to think that that change is coming from the US to the UK. In many cases, like this one, it's the opposite.

"Reach out" is another oldie (most phrasal verbs are absolutely ancient as they came about as alternatives to words which came from Latin) and has a different meaning to "contact". (Almost all phrasal verbs have more than one meaning, literal, and figurative- reach out (literal) was first seen in the 6th century and meant just that, stretch your arm out and touch someone. Then the meaning shifted over the centuries to mean "offer help" ) The "unnecessary" extra word almost always adds a nuance of meaning that the Latin derived word didn't. Especially (obviously) in the figurative ones. I could contact you without offering you help etc.

Both "closet" and "wardrobe" are from French (so Latin) and both have been used to mean storage spaces since Shakespeare's time. Closet is slightly older.

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 06:27

Footle · 11/06/2022 06:06

Would it be going against the spirit of the thread to prefer "rigueur" spelt correctly?

Dunning-Kruger and Muphry innit.

Gawd bless 'em both.

Ifailed · 11/06/2022 06:31

As PPs have pointed out, "hack" was used to describe the process of breaking into a computer system, the same way that you hack through undergrowth to force a path through to a goal.
It is completely different from 'tip', used as advice to make some task easier.

To me 'hack' implies an act of force to bypass some difficulty, by possibly illegal means.

e.g.
Life 'hack': steal some money to make yourself wealthier
Life Tip: Save the money you'd spend on a latte and buy yourself a house after a couple of years.

TeenPlusCat · 11/06/2022 06:32

For me 'hack' has the meaning it had when I was a software developer as in quick and dirty, not something you want in the final product but good enough for now.

So a hack for putting together furniture might be: if it isn't square then a bit of plywood stuck on the base will do,
Whereas a tip would be: if it isn't square then put same length strips across the diagonals to keep it square.

Riapia · 11/06/2022 06:36

One I’ve even seen used on MN recently.
”That sucks.”

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 06:46

Riapia · 11/06/2022 06:36

One I’ve even seen used on MN recently.
”That sucks.”

It's been in common use since the early 1970s.
Are Americans not welcome on Mumsnet?

DockOTheBay · 11/06/2022 06:46

I thought a "hack" was when you physically change an object to make it useful for another purpose, in some cases you would "hack" as in cut up one item to make something else.

A tip on the other hand I would say is a useful piece of advise e.g. don't eat yellow snow. I suppose you could give someone a tip to use a hack.

Thelikelylass · 11/06/2022 06:57

Well I don't see the Viz magazine giving out 'hacks'!
Also - when did 'unfaithful' partners become 'cheaters'???

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 07:03

Thelikelylass · 11/06/2022 06:57

Well I don't see the Viz magazine giving out 'hacks'!
Also - when did 'unfaithful' partners become 'cheaters'???

"cheat" (noun) in that sense was first recorded in the mid 15th century. Not sure that "cheater" is standard.

"unfaithful" with the sense of not adhering to relationship vows came about 300 years later.

spotcheck · 11/06/2022 07:20

HMSSophia · 10/06/2022 19:42

Yup we're becoming more Americanised every day

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

But in North America, they use far more British slang than ever before. I don't think they all wring their hands with worry

countingto10 · 11/06/2022 07:27

To me a hack is a relaxing ride on my horse around the local bridleways, taking in the scenery 🤷‍♀️

Solosunrise · 11/06/2022 07:32

I've cut down a lot on Internet use, and as such I rarely see 'hacks' and suchlike being used. Usually saw those '10 hacks for whatever' on fb as sponsored links.
Nobody I know in real life says it I don't think.
I'm going to start sounding like someone's great aunt soon, because I try to use the same words/occasional idioms that I always have.
Language has always evolved but I agree with previous posters who said that social media has speeded it up.

Footle · 11/06/2022 07:36

@PAFMO , honesty compels me to admit that until today I had only been familiar with DK in a knitting context, though Muphry is an old friend.

Solosunrise · 11/06/2022 07:36

countingto10 · 11/06/2022 07:27

To me a hack is a relaxing ride on my horse around the local bridleways, taking in the scenery 🤷‍♀️

When I was a child, the word 'hack' felt very old-school, as if from a Pullein-Thompson novel. We'd always just 'go out for a ride', (and later, out on exercise) but I've noticed people 'hacking out' is more commonly used again.
A lovely thing to do, whatever you call it @countingto10 😊

PAFMO · 11/06/2022 07:47

Footle · 11/06/2022 07:36

@PAFMO , honesty compels me to admit that until today I had only been familiar with DK in a knitting context, though Muphry is an old friend.

Tell me about the knitting! I don't know about that!

countingto10 · 11/06/2022 08:08

Solosunrise · 11/06/2022 07:36

When I was a child, the word 'hack' felt very old-school, as if from a Pullein-Thompson novel. We'd always just 'go out for a ride', (and later, out on exercise) but I've noticed people 'hacking out' is more commonly used again.
A lovely thing to do, whatever you call it @countingto10 😊

Definitely being referred to as hacking again - lots of “is anyone going for a hack this pm?” in our WhatsApp group Grin

AgentMagenta · 11/06/2022 09:05

I'd love a nice relaxing hack today. Cantering across the countryside on a steady horse.

icelolly12 · 11/06/2022 09:14

Also saying kids instead of children. When I was younger if anybody said kids they would be corrected "kids are baby goats" lol now even politicians are using the term kids. And yes also movie.

Footle · 11/06/2022 09:23

@PAFMO , abbreviation for double knitting, probably the commonest weight of yarn used on this side of the pond.
And yes, it seems to me that anti-American prejudice is at worst embraced and at best usually unquestioned on MN.

Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 11/06/2022 14:31

So, de rigueur is acceptable but movie & diaper aren't...

Aye, that classic English language phrase. Oh, hang on. No. It's not is it?

We just don't like Americans. How très Enid Blyton.

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