When Words Change Their Meaning...

Words are so interesting! They are all we have to communicate with, but their meanings sometimes change! (I am reminded of this every time I talk with someone younger who uses expressions I've never heard of!) No wonder we sometimes miscommunicate!

Take the word "chimney."

A while back I posted a blog on my mother's early teaching years and commented on how classroom duties had changed. A hundred years ago, a teacher was expected to clean the chimney, not just light the fire before the pupils arrived. Wasn't cleaning the stove chimney a bit much to expect?!

A friend emailed to clarify on the meaning of the word chimney: A chimney wasn't simply a vent for a stove. It was also the vent for a coal oil lamp!

I recently saw this one in an Indian restaurant. Cleaning the glass dome doesn't seem that hard!

But had my friend not informed me, I would have thought teachers were expected to be chimney-sweeps!

Words change their meaning and tools become obsolete... No wonder, over time, we have a hard time conceptualizing what life was like long ago - even with historic letters and documents from way back.