Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
When 'nice' was bad and 'bully' was good. Is 'preorder' redundant? High-intensity transformer.
Oct 3, 2023
Explore the surprising origins and changes in meaning of words like 'bully' and 'nice'. Learn about the illogical but helpful practice of preordering books. Discover the current usage of words like 'berserker' and 'amok'. Find out how preorders impact bookstores and bestseller lists. Hear a familect story about adopting a phrase from a live news control room.
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Quick takeaways
- The word 'bully' had a positive meaning in earlier times, referring to a lover or a term of endearment, but its meaning shifted to describe someone who is aggressive and intimidates others.
- The word 'nice' originally meant silly or foolish, and even had connotations of immorality, but eventually took on a more positive meaning, associated with being agreeable or pleasant.
Deep dives
Surprising History of Words: Bully and Nice
In the podcast, it is revealed that the word 'bully' had a positive meaning in earlier times, referring to a lover or a term of endearment. However, over time, its meaning shifted to describe someone who is aggressive and intimidates others. On the other hand, the word 'nice' originally meant silly or foolish, and even had connotations of immorality. But eventually, the word took on a more positive meaning, associated with being agreeable or pleasant. These examples illustrate how words can change in meaning over time, either through semantic pejoration or semantic amelioration.
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