Trolldeg Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Recently my dad read a quote to me about young people. It went along the lines of young people have no respect and it's getting out of hand and something needs to be done before the very fabric of society falls apart. My dad asked me to guess when it was written. I was off the mark by 150 years. It was written in about 1860! Actually, people have been saying this since ancient Greece... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xaphod Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Hi Cinammon, What a wonderful word 'twerp' is!! [ Here's another quick plug for www.oed.com ..... the definitive work for English as it is used. As I've said before, the Oxford English Dictionary is trying to lose its stuffy image and, IMHO, doing reasonably well. TWERP:- A despicable or objectionable person; an insignificant person, a nobody; a nincompoop. 1925 FRASER & GIBBONS Soldier & Sailor Words 292 Twerp, an unpleasant person. 1934 J. O'HARA Appointment in Samarra iv. 87 ‘And what a husband.’ ‘Exactly!.. That little twirp.’ 1936 WODEHOUSE Laughing Gas xxv. 265 You're simply a lot of low twerps who kidnapped me in order to cash in. 1944 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Let. 6 Oct. (1981) 94 He lived in O[xford] at the time when we lived in Pusey Street (rooming with Walton, the composer, and going about with T. W. Earp, the original twerp). 1945 [see RAT n.1 3a]. 1955 E. POUND Section: Rock-Drill xcv. 105 Among all these twerps and Pullizer sponges no voice for the Constitution, No objection to the historic blackout. 1957 R. CAMPBELL Portugal 87 T. W. Earp (who gave the English language the word twirp, really twearp, because of the Goering-like wrath he kindled in the hearts of the rugger-playing stalwarts at Oxford, when he was president of the Union, by being the last, most charming, and wittiest of the ‘decadents’). 1960 S. BARSTOW Kind of Loving I. iv. 91 If she turns me down I'll look more of a twerp than ever. 1973 B. BROADFOOT Ten Lost Years xxvii. 309 The R. B. Bennetts of Canada and that despicable little twerp Mac. 1980 National Times (Austral.) 21 Dec. 30/3 Kendig's former boss..is a twerp. His offices contain a gallery of framed photographs of [himself]: there he is with John Wayne, with Nixon, [etc.]. OK, OK, too much info, I know, but, for me, it's nice to know ! Xa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sendra45 Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 thread re-instated The angels have the phonebox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stockw Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hi Cin, An intelligent post. I was going to suggest you could pull a card from a London phone box and pass that onto him. I do find it slightly strange that blokes try it on via web site like HHplace since there are plenty of other web sites for that! Glad to see you back. SW Honestly a girl can't have too many shoes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyLegs Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hi Cinammon, What a wonderful word 'twerp' is!! Before I start my post, let me just say that most ALL the guys here are polite and respectful towards women...and they also appreciate our comments and advice about heels/fashion etc. As with most things in life, it's the selfish and small minded few who can tarnish things for the rest of us. Now to my point. I've just seen your post and I feel for you...it's happened to me here (just twice) and elsewhere online. It also happens outside in the real world too. What's even worse, is that it's increasingly more common that it is young guys (like..late teens) that 'hit' on me IRL, and whilst it can be flattering on occasions, when I tell them I'm married, some of them just come on even stronger, making it very clear what they are after!! Where are MORALS and MANNERS and self control these days? I mean, I LOVE wearing high heels, and I do so as often as I can. I have the right to do so without harrassment. However, it still seems to be the case, that men look at girls in high heels as 'easy meat' (Oh how I loathe that expression....), especially the 'cocky' younger lads these days. Well, in this country they do anyway...... Maybe it's my figure (I'm a curvy lady), maybe it's my long blonde hair, maybe it's my short skirts and very high heels.....maybe we are back to the 'old chestnut' of education vs. conditioning... Guys, you can look and not touch......especially if there's a large rock on my third finger, but I'm very happy with looks! Manners and politeness are going to get you much further in life, than brash 'cockiness' and 'attitude' - a generally accepted excuse for bad manners nowadays. Does this answer the question?? With some people, anything that is not buzz off means keep trying, and being polite does not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 So glad I'm not the only person who opts for the term "buzz off" rather than something a little more worthy of random punctuation marks as a replacement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts