Words you can't use any more

[CoalTit]

I know language evolves and all that. I accepted that "nonplussed" is now an unusable word because so many people take it to mean its opposite. I didn't really have much occasion to use it anyway. But now it turns out that "lame" and "literally' have suffered the same fate.

I've hurt my foot. I tried to explain to a friend on WhatsApp that I won't be going dancing this week, by writing: "I'm literally, technically lame". I got a long voice message in return expressing sympathy for my lack of confidence, saying how intimidating the dance scene can be.
So I tried, "No, lame, like a horse" and that seemed to work.
Then I messaged my upstairs neighbour to say I can't help her with her work in the light well today because I'm lame. I hurt my foot helping her so I thought she'd understand.
She replied asking me to get up the ladder so she can pass things down to me. I tried " I can't help you today; I can barely walk", and she seemed to understand.

I thought I could use "lame" to save myself typing out "I hurt my foot; it's badly swollen and I can barely walk". I thought I could use "literally" to make it clear, but no.

I would have understood your use of lame correctly. Lame can be used for both humans and animals.
I also only use literally in the “actually” sense, although I believe the hyperbolic version also counts now as an official word.

Baffled and perplexed.

I remember being nonplussed when a friend told me he got on with his Father "like a house on fire ".
I knew they got on well, but "a house on fire" is surely a bad thing ?

That change did happen in the 1800s. I think we can cope with it.

I think it is still used to mean that, as in "That was awfully good" meaning surprisingly and pleasingly good.

I can’t work out what it means today. I heard someone say they were bi and queer and well, I was nonplussed!

No, it means to get on really well with someone. It uses the image of a fire catching hold quickly to show how a friendship can grow quickly too.

All of you, I’m loving your work! 😂
By the way, you missed a full stop.. <— I’ve left a spare on there for you, in case you’ve run out 😉 <—And that’s me (controversially, I’m sure) using an emoji in place of a full stop.

This is where I’ll, undoubtedly, find out that I’ve also screwed up too!

I've hurt my foot is less words that I'm literally, technically lame. If you were looking for something quicker to write why the use of literally and technically in one sentence?

Or if you’re American, I have went 😭

It would have been a lot less ambiguous to have text, ‘I have hurt my foot doing z’.

I thought lame was only for horses!

And dogs who need helping over stiles, of course.

The modern use of 'dropped' always irritates me, eg "Adele has just dropped her new album." If I heard that my initial reaction would be disappointment because I was looking forward to listening to it.

I still use 'lame' fairly regularly, as I work with livestock.

I will assume that, given my Yorkshire heritage, I am still permitted to use 'queer' as in, "Nowt as queer as folk!"

I have eaten faggots (of the meatball variety, of course) in France. I was not impressed!

To this old fogey of a pedant, to drop something means To release something from your control so that it falls down, and, by extension, to lose interest in something and therefore let it fall away from you.

I can see how the meaning of lame has shifted from a physical injury to an attitude ( still both negative states ) but I can’t see how a word like nonplussed can now mean the exact opposite of it’s original meaning. It can only mean that so many people have used it incorrectly that the true meaning has been erased. Thats a truly terrifying thought. What else are they ruining ?

Well, like a PP stated before the word awful didn’t always mean bad/terrible. Are you bothered about that?

Bully used to mean sweetheart or as an adjective excellent. Completely different meaning to nowadays. I’m sure that in the 2400s people (if they’re still alive by then) will cope if nonplussed is used in a completely different way. Plus, none of us will be around to complain that we’re being misunderstood.

Fewer! Fewer! 😂and it's the exact same number of words, did you mean fewer letters?

That word isn't used about human beings. Not by those who have temporary or permanent mobility issues, not by the world of medicine, traditional or alternative.

That's why they didn't understand?

I don’t think I have experienced anyone failing to understand nonplussed in the original meaning.

I like quarrel. I have a friend who regularly uses the word contretemps which is a nice substitute.

I forgot which topic page we're on. I've no business being here 😂

I missed a full stop because I don’t care 😮 I’m not writing great literature I’m writing a sentence on a thread 😂
I just find it amusing that the people correcting my original mistake have each made their own

Because should of cannot possibly be a typo or a mistake. It's ignorance of grammar and that is a hill I will die on. A space before a full stop is a typo.