To have not realised that "Plonker" means penis.

[OonaStubbs]

Until today when DP told me. I was very surprised as it never occurred to me. I also can't believe that they got away with saying it on TV in the 80s during family viewing time!

I thought the same thing.

Why would you keep contradicting people??

I can only assume that just these posters genuinely believe that their personal experience of not hearing it used in that context outweighs everyone else who posts giving their experience of the opposite. They must believe that their experience is all that matters and have no interest in widening their understanding.
Instead of saying "I've never heard it mean penis" they say "It doesn't mean penis". I despair at the lack of logic or critical thinking.

Even more depressing/ frightening is the willingness to ignore evidence from reliable sources such as the OED or Chambers. We see it in other areas of life, too. I don’t think it’s a stretch to draw parallels with people who slavishly believe the “alternative facts” spouted by politicians, even when those lies are denounced with evidence. Critical thinking is in the gutter.

This thread is a clear example of how the anti vax movement has been so successful.

I mean - not intending to make this run and run (or do I?), but, East Londoners, I also give you the use of the word 'Wally'. What does it signify and where would you ask for one?
Born in Yorkshire, BTW, and using wally would be more akin to a mild form of 'idiot' there, but family is of London roots.

Ex used to work in a cafe that also did classic fish and chips and was confidently telling people they didn't sell wallys for the first couple of weeks there

What a Wally - they had huge jars full of 'em 😂

"You're pulling my plonker, you wanker". Discuss.

I think you and your DH are both plonkers. Take that whichever way you want 😁

Weird you'd crop it like that, but he's the full definition!

It showed the image in the preview but not the actual message hopefully this works better!

But if it has a long history of being used to mean penis by a lot of people - albeit maybe informally - how can you tell them they are wrong?! Is the OED also wrong?

Language is developing and evolving all the time; it isn't carved on one massive official tablet that declares definitively what a word is or isn't ever allowed to be used to mean!

Thank you! Hope he's giving them the right vegetable side now!

That reminds me of another old rude poem I heard ages ago:

They gave me a box of tin soldiers
To play with while I was in bed
I got bored with my sergeants and generals
So I played with my privates instead

Aha - believe it or not MN seems to have a problem with the word that the French might say as producteur de melons

If that isn't a wry comment on the lunacy of policing language then I don't know what is 😀

Never heard that one, bit it still also means idiot

Well mathematically some idiots are cunts, surely ?

Don't really understand what you mean but to call some idiots a cunt would be a compliment!

It originally meant penis. It’s been repurposed to mean idiot.

A bit like dick. Originally a penis, now a horrible person, eg “don’t be a dick!”

As for the people saying “don’t you ever question what you’re dh says?” Well they are the plonkers because, just occasionally, and very annoyingly, a man gets something right.

It still does mean penis. So does dick!

Those meanings haven’t been lost.

I know @Elbowpatch (sorry my post was a bit ambiguous). I am old enough to remember people using it to mean penis though I haven’t for many years.

No, but if you're calling someone a dick or a plonker you're calling them an idiot, not a penis

The origin of the word is relevant! It's an insult because it's likening the person to a penis. It's a lighthearted insult but the link to penis is there none the less.

I disagree. Someone that's a dick is being deliberately offensive/annoying, not just being or acting stupid. See, multiple meanings for the same word.

It's a slang dictionary - they don't list standard meanings.