Retronyms

No more canning recipes, I promise. This is more of an amuse-bouche. 'Cause we love that stuff.

I stole this from Schott's Vocab Blog:

Free Parking, Fresh Air and Other Retronyms

"Retronyms?

Yes, retronyms – terms that have been created to clarify an existing word rendered ambiguous by evolutions in technology or social practice.

For example, the term “acoustic guitar” was only coined when the electric guitar was invented, similarly “free parking” only emerged when car-parks and parking meters were introduced.

“Black and white photography” would have been a bizarre tautology until color film, and if you had said “free range eggs” two hundred years ago, you would have been stared at.

Other retronyms include: unsafe sex, fresh air, dial-up Internet … you get the idea."

So, Schott asked his readers to send in theirs. His winners:

"All who participated will be sent whole milk by snail mail, but the following will also receive organic (heirloom) vegetables":

“Paper money.”

“Genuine leather.” 

“Natural flavor.”

“Straight marriage.” 

“Landline phones.” 

“Hairy legs.” 

“Paper edition (for newspapers).”

"Brick-and-mortar company, hand crafted."

"Dumb phone" (As in: I have a dumb phone – it only makes phone calls.)

“Birth mother.”

“Propeller planes, silent movies, conventional weapons, natural grass.”

 

So, readers? Add your own - you can beat the NYT folks fo' sho'!