You are correct. Deep Six was measured in Fathoms, like "By the Mark Twain." Two marks on the lead indicated that it was two fathoms, or 12 feet deep, and the safe depth for river boats to float at.
My favorite skeuomorph (I think you taught me that word) is this guy - 📞 so I’m going to go with ‘hang up’ and all its variations like ‘I got hung up on’. Speaking of, I wonder the origins of the newer text centric term ‘ghosted’
Great question about "ghosted." It appears to have been added to Urban Dictionary some time around 2006, which is probably around the first time I ever heard someone who stops showing up for something referred to as a ghost. I guess maybe it was a short leap to the verb form, and digitization took care of the rest.
My AI bestie thinks it came from online dating apps and the ability w/ tech chat, etc. to just disappear into the ether 🫥 jives with me because if heard it most in the relationship dept
Oh yeah, there are a whole bunch of phrases that used to mean something but no longer do.
For instance, "scientific consensus," "civil debate," "shared reality." That kinda stuff.
Way to leech the fun right out of antiquated words we still use today!
Well, if the shoe fits...
That phrase is gonna turn some heads in the upcoming post-footware world.
If the hip-bone fits into the knee-bone...
Aww, shut yer pie hole before you get deep-sixed and are pushing up daisies.
(Yet more fossil phrases.)
I just read that "deep six" may refer to fathoms, not feet!
You are correct. Deep Six was measured in Fathoms, like "By the Mark Twain." Two marks on the lead indicated that it was two fathoms, or 12 feet deep, and the safe depth for river boats to float at.
So, six Fathoms is 36 feet under the keel.
Something that really gets my feathers ruffled is when I text friends or family and… crickets. 🫤
Animals are always a go-to for analogies like these! Do kids still say "feathers ruffled"?
I haven’t seen or heard hide nor hair of that.
Some animal phrases seem to go extinct. Dead like a dodo!
☺️
What fun! Turns out I am partly fossilized! 🥰 Still use some of these and just now learned their origins. Thank you for sharing, Daniel!
My favorite skeuomorph (I think you taught me that word) is this guy - 📞 so I’m going to go with ‘hang up’ and all its variations like ‘I got hung up on’. Speaking of, I wonder the origins of the newer text centric term ‘ghosted’
Great question about "ghosted." It appears to have been added to Urban Dictionary some time around 2006, which is probably around the first time I ever heard someone who stops showing up for something referred to as a ghost. I guess maybe it was a short leap to the verb form, and digitization took care of the rest.
My AI bestie thinks it came from online dating apps and the ability w/ tech chat, etc. to just disappear into the ether 🫥 jives with me because if heard it most in the relationship dept
That math checks out, too, doesn't it? The rise of online dating apps probably really began during the late 2000s, so that 2006 date seems right too.