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My neighbors often have a table of free stuff on their front lawn. Sometimes bigger things too including furniture but they are usually old MDF pieces that are close to the end of their life cycle therefore not worth taking. No matter what they have, my daughter wants it. Sometime I will take the long way in order to not have to pass it because I hate saying no.
Yesterday they had an old television cabinet out on display. My daughter called it a cupboard and said she wanted it (of course). This piece could technically be called a cupboard. Google’s definition of cupboard is: a cabinet or closet, usually with a door and shelves, used for storage. Cupboard, Cupboard, Cupboard, what a wonderful word. This was definitely NOT a cupboard though. Cupboards are what my grandmother kept her tea cups in and where the little animals in Beatrix Potter stories kept their pies and poor Old Mother Hubbard… well, let’s not even go there!
This got me started thinking about other “grandma words” or should I now say “great-grandma words”. These old words have fallen out of favor and it’s our own fault! Don’t you remember cringing when you grandmother called your super cool Guess jean, dungarees. It is sad though because these words are so rich in emotional references to the people, places, and things from our past.
So let’s celebrate these old-timey words today with a printable book to share with kids! Your children can learn some new words and you can enjoy a trip down memory lane.
“Fun Old Tmey Words” printable accordion book
Here is the list…
- Parlor = living room
- Dungarees = jeans
- Ice box = refrigerator
- Rubbish = garbage
- Galoshes = rain boots
- Valise = small suitcase
- Housecoat = bathrobe
- Cupboard = cabinet
- *Girdle = shape-ware
preview of accordion book
To print out the accordion book just click on the following hyperlink to open a PDF file that you can save or print: old-timey words accordion book. Once printed, cut along the solid lines, use a glue stick on the flap to attached the 2 strips together, then fold back and forth accordion style along the dotted lines.
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Oh, so close to 500 words, but not quite, Google! Apparently if you want to optimize your searchability on Google you must post daily with at least 500 words. For more on Google’s new SEO guidelines read this great post from Pragmatic Mom. And then go check out Vanita Cyril’s After Bedtime Blog. This site is chock full of super helpful blogging tips likes these!
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I am sure I forgot some great old timey words! Please leave a comment and add to my list.
*Just for moms and not in the book so don’t worry about having to explain this one!
Love this idea.
Um, I remember grandma with her old style NY accent pronouncing
Toilet as “turlet”
That’s different than what you’ve got here, I know.
I remember grandpa calling you sassy.
Um…
Motorcar= car
Don’t want to have to lick the calf twice= don’t want to have to do a dirty job twice because you did it wrong the first time. (farming saying – that’s what’s cows do after giving birth, they lick the calf clean. And yeah, I don’t think you’d want to have to do that twice. Loll!!!!)
I’m really struggling here. Maybe I’ll think of more later.
Kris recently posted..Do the Most Important Thing First
All those expressions are fun! That could be a follow up post! Thanks Kris!
Oh I remember a few.. but unfortunately they’re Brazilian words, as my grandparents are Brazilian.
Larissa T. recently posted..Xander Xavier.
When I think about that I am even so much more impressed with your writing!
My MIL uses the word “supper”, and we all try to figure out what she means- we think it is an earlier big meal than dinner, but later than lunch. My dad still likes to say “trousers”. These are fun.
Artchoo recently posted..Basic Art Materials For Children
Trousers – nice. To confuse things further, we have dinner mid day on Sundays and then supper in the evening.
We call our dinner “supper” OR “dinner”. My parents used the terms interchangeably growing up. My MIL calls a meal eaten at 1:00pm “dinner”…and that took so much getting used to for me.
Krista recently posted..Perseverance
We generally use them interchangeable until Sunday when dinner is mid-day and supper is the evening meal. My husband has a tough time with this one too!
Gay when it meant happy.
Old timey words are fun. It’s interesting how language evolves.
PragmaticMom recently posted..Meet Author Trudy Ludwig for Advice on Bullying
Kids will surely laugh if you say gay for happy! They are and it is!
I would always bristle when my grandma referred to my swimming “trunks.” It sounded impossibly old-fashioned. My other grandma used to teach piano. She’d refer to her students as her “pupils.” No one says that anymore.
Same grandma also says “bowel movement,” or just “BM”. I think that was meant to be used in polite company, but now it sounds embarrassingly graphic.
Daddy Confidential recently posted..Please Be Kind And Rewind
Funny!!!
Trunks and pupils are great ones! Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Love this post! Have you seen this site? Save the words? http://bit.ly/h4q2Wu You can adopt an obscure word. Geeky word fun!
Capability recently posted..A Healthy Start
Thanks so much! Definitely going to check out that site – the things people come up with! I get a word a day email – I would love to expand my vocabulary.
So fun! Love your illustrations and ideas.
Elisa | blissfulE recently posted..Vi as Judas Iscariot
Thanks Elisa!
My Oma and Opa always called slippers “house shoes”. You were also not allowed to wear your “street clothes” on the bed, which would confuse me, as I was always sitting on top of my made bed to play.
“Golly” is another fun old timey word.
Krista recently posted..Perseverance
Are they German?
I love those old fashion expressions like golly!
I like how you think, Ann. This post was fun, interesting and thoughtful. It’s interesting for us for whom English is a second language. Reading your post, it occurred to me, we may still be using some old timey words when they might have become unbelievably outdated! Cupboard, for example. We still use this exclusively here. Though we use cabinet, too.
Loved your idea of converting these words into an accordion book. You are something else!
Rashmie @ Mommy Labs recently posted..Our Mud Pie Kitchen Engages Young and Old!
Thanks Rashmie! Things are so different even just with English speakers around the globe. I wonder with the ability to make friends around the world if these cultural will become more homogenization (I hope not!).
AEROPLANE. THAT’S HOW AIRPLANE OR PLANE STARTED OUT AND I CAN REMEMBER PEOPLE USING IT.
AUTOMOBILE IS AN OLD TIMEY WORD THAT’S STILL USED.
DO PEOPLE STILL STRUT, PLOD OR WEAR CLODHOPPERS? I GUESS SO, BUT MAYBE NOT REGULARLY.
DO YOU EVER SEE A SIGN FOR THE LAVATORY (WASHROOM)?
WORDS ARE SO INTERESTING AND I WONDER AT THE WAY SIMPLE SOUNDS CAN SUCH SPECIFIC MEANING.
A FUN POST.
ANN SULLIVAN recently posted..#1153 “THE GLOW OF EVENING, BASS RIVER, CAPE COD” (OUR BEAUTIFUL RIVER SERIES)
Thanks! Love all those – thanks for adding them : )
Oh what a fun, and memorable post! Out family never used dungarees. How funny! Parlor was used often and I still say rubbish. Wonderful post! It’s been awhile and I wanted to stop by.
Angelia Sims recently posted..Eat Cake and Celebrate
Hey, thanks for stopping by, Angelia!