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What's a word you've spent a long time not using right? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

218 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Just recently I was in a conversation with a number of UK mainlanders and we had a debate over what "tories" meant, apparently disproportionately ordinarily it refers to a political party and it's not usual to use it as short for "territories" as I've used it (according to how the debate ended, it was half and half between them). And once again I'm reminded of how people feel to look back at their usage of a word/phrase over the years and cringe.

More tragically, me and a friend were embarrassed once upon realizing everyone was confusing "encephalitis" with "hydrocephalus" when talking to someone about their kid with hydrocephalus. Awkward because encephalitis is caused by HIV.

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[–] flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I thought penultimate meant ...basically ultimate

Am doofus

Edit: to clarify, I thought it meant it in a good way, as in best. It actually means next to last

[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Penultimate is a mightier word, even mightier some might say, than the swordultimate.

[–] flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Touché

[–] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

As they say, live by the swordultimate, die by the swordultimate.

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago

It's the word's fault, not yours.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 year ago

Well you were close. Some might say you were right next to it n

[–] Nihilore@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Binge watch all of Taskmaster, you’ll never use it wrong again

[–] TisI@reddthat.com 2 points 1 year ago

I just learned! Thanks! That's what I thought it meant as well!

[–] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago

I mean I do see it used that way more often than not.