Grammar Corner

[Future]

One of the millennial expressions I detest is the use of the word "ratchet" to mean something they despise. The reason I dislike this so much is that it seems pretty clear that some ignorant fool heard the word "wretched" and misspoke it to someone else, who repeated it to someone else, and so on. A word created through ignorance just shouldn't exist.

I couldn't agree more. My daughter says that sometimes, which irritates me even more because she normally someone who would also be bothered by that kind of thing. It may not have even dawned on her that it is a *******ized version of "wretched", but that's what I always assumed it was.

That's not where it comes from, so good job with that.

Just Google it, before you ask.

 

[Melonfeud]

No. I shoot you, then I dance for you, then I strangle you, then I mock you, then I hang you!

You were obviously feelin' yer' oats in grandiose theatrical fashion with the release of this one,HuH, GIMME?,,,

 

[OmerV]

How about the teens' affection for the word "Literally"?
He literally died when he lost the concert tickets!

Or the infamous newspaper lead in a story: The police chief literally blew up when he read the report. Lol lol

Figuratively is the word to use.
Literal means real
Figurative means in a fanciful or imaginary way. However, I doubt any will use the word this way: She figuratively jumped out of her shoes when she won the contest.

I agree, although I think the misuse of "literally" goes back further than just this generation.

 

[OmerV]

That's not where it comes from, so good job with that.

Just Google it, before you ask.

Okay, I Googled it ...

Ratchet (slang) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(slang)
Ratchet is a slang term in hip hop that in its original sense referred to an uncouth woman, and is a Louisianan regiolect version of the word "wretched". The term has since been extended to have broader meanings and connotations and is no longer strictly bound by race or gender. The term gained popularity in 2012 through music artists and celebrities.


Urban Dictionary

Top definition
ratchet the English term "wretched".
"Ol' girl with her hoochie-*** clothes too tight an' her tracks shown' in her scraggly-*** weave with her fake-*** Gucci bag think she cute. She ratchet."



Or, if you prefer the non-slang definition ....

1. NOUN
   1. a device consisting of a bar or wheel with a set of angled teeth in which a pawl, cog, or tooth engages, allowing motion in one direction only.
      synonyms:
      prong · point · tine · cog · ratchet · sprocket
   2. a situation or process that is perceived to be deteriorating or changing steadily in a series of irreversible steps.
      "a one-way ratchet of expanding entitlements"
   VERB
   1. operate by means of a ratchet.
   2. (ratchet something up/down)
      cause something to rise (or fall) as a step in what is perceived as a steady and irreversible process.
      "the Bank of Japan ratcheted up interest rates again"

 

[Future]

Okay, I Googled it ...

Ratchet (slang) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(slang)
Ratchet is a slang term in hip hop that in its original sense referred to an uncouth woman, and is a Louisianan regiolect version of the word "wretched". The term has since been extended to have broader meanings and connotations and is no longer strictly bound by race or gender. The term gained popularity in 2012 through music artists and celebrities.


Urban Dictionary

Top definition
ratchet the English term "wretched".
"Ol' girl with her hoochie-*** clothes too tight an' her tracks shown' in her scraggly-*** weave with her fake-*** Gucci bag think she cute. She ratchet."



Or, if you prefer the non-slang definition ....

1. NOUN
   1. a device consisting of a bar or wheel with a set of angled teeth in which a pawl, cog, or tooth engages, allowing motion in one direction only.
      synonyms:
      prong · point · tine · cog · ratchet · sprocket
   2. a situation or process that is perceived to be deteriorating or changing steadily in a series of irreversible steps.
      "a one-way ratchet of expanding entitlements"
   VERB
   1. operate by means of a ratchet.
   2. (ratchet something up/down)
      cause something to rise (or fall) as a step in what is perceived as a steady and irreversible process.
      "the Bank of Japan ratcheted up interest rates again"

Right, and it's not some mularkey about ignorance. It's just an accent.

 

[OmerV]

Right, and it's not some mularkey about ignorance. It's just an accent.

You said that's not where it comes from and I should Google it, and when I did and the result was that it actually does come from what we believed, then you say you are still right because it is an accent causing it to be pronounced that way. Hmmm....

Of course, the only suggestion that it is an accent thing is that it came from a Louisiana regional version of the word "wretched", so are you telling me that everyone that pronounces it that way is from Louisiana?

By the way, I'm not sure anyone said it was ignorance, just that it is an annoying term kids use.

 

[Melonfeud]

Okay, I Googled it ...

Ratchet (slang) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(slang)
Ratchet is a slang term in hip hop that in its original sense referred to an uncouth woman, and is a Louisianan regiolect version of the word "wretched". The term has since been extended to have broader meanings and connotations and is no longer strictly bound by race or gender. The term gained popularity in 2012 through music artists and celebrities.


Urban Dictionary

Top definition
ratchet the English term "wretched".
"Ol' girl with her hoochie-*** clothes too tight an' her tracks shown' in her scraggly-*** weave with her fake-*** Gucci bag think she cute. She ratchet."



Or, if you prefer the non-slang definition ....

1. NOUN
   1. a device consisting of a bar or wheel with a set of angled teeth in which a pawl, cog, or tooth engages, allowing motion in one direction only.
      synonyms:
      prong · point · tine · cog · ratchet · sprocket
   2. a situation or process that is perceived to be deteriorating or changing steadily in a series of irreversible steps.
      "a one-way ratchet of expanding entitlements"
   VERB
   1. operate by means of a ratchet.
   2. (ratchet something up/down)
      cause something to rise (or fall) as a step in what is perceived as a steady and irreversible process.
      "the Bank of Japan ratcheted up interest rates again"

While in no means should this be construed as an prudish,or uptight observation,,,yet, I deemed it comprehensionally offensive& most insensitive to those of the less inclined of all things of a comprehensional nature with having the words:prong,point,tine,cog&ratchet
having been so blazingly embolden in a different color in not only that it exemplified them as being of a different nature as in regards to the pertinent base of the post,but it intentionally highlighted them as to being separate,or of a different subject matter all together,,,and well ,that should be considered as unacceptable to those of comprehension

 

[Runwildboys]

That's not where it comes from, so good job with that.

Just Google it, before you ask.

I just Googled it, and that is where it comes from. Maybe you should Google it before being a dick.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

And, did you know, hooligan, that the word gullible is not in the dictionary?

Irregardless of your sincere ignorance, it is indeed a word.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/am...ary-mean-girls-lexicon-merriam-webster-2017-6

https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=irregardless

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/irregardless

 

[Runwildboys]

You said that's not where it comes from and I should Google it, and when I did and the result was that it actually does come from what we believed, then you say you are still right because it is an accent causing it to be pronounced that way. Hmmm....

Of course, the only suggestion that it is an accent thing is that it came from a Louisiana regional version of the word "wretched", so are you telling me that everyone that pronounces it that way is from Louisiana?

By the way, I'm not sure anyone said it was ignorance, just that it is an annoying term kids use.

I said it was born of ignorance, which it was. Someone heard the mispronunciation, then repeated it to another ignorant friend, etc.

 

[Future]

You said that's not where it comes from and I should Google it, and when I did and the result was that it actually does come from what we believed, then you say you are still right because it is an accent causing it to be pronounced that way. Hmmm....

Of course, the only suggestion that it is an accent thing is that it came from a Louisiana regional version of the word "wretched", so are you telling me that everyone that pronounces it that way is from Louisiana?

By the way, I'm not sure anyone said it was ignorance, just that it is an annoying term kids use.

I said it doesn't come from ignorance. I don't care what word it actually came from. Slang, dialect, whatever, isn't ignorance.

The original post about it said it came from an ignorant pronunciation or whatever.

 

[Melonfeud]

One of the millennial expressions I detest is the use of the word "ratchet" to mean something they despise. The reason I dislike this so much is that it seems pretty clear that some ignorant fool heard the word "wretched" and misspoke it to someone else, who repeated it to someone else, and so on. A word created through ignorance just shouldn't exist.

Yeppers, that is EXACTLY what you said .

 

[CouchCoach]

You can leave class, then; exit now. Or, you can be quiet --- though I doubt that is possible. Am I, sir, at last, correct?

The Gip is your Horshak.

 

[Melonfeud]

I said it doesn't come from ignorance. I don't care what word it actually came from. Slang, dialect, whatever, isn't ignorance.

The original post about it said it came from an ignorant pronunciation or whatever.

I am inclined to believe ( being an impartial entity as the qualifier)
That you're on the losing end of the narrative, my friend & fellow forum member

 

[CouchCoach]

The ratchet wrench womped the wicked wretched witch while whispering willowy women watched wantonly...........Wee Willie Winkle.

 

[CouchCoach]

Know what gripes my innards? The continuing misuse and overuse of the word “awesome”.

Yesterday as I was checking out, the young checker said “awesome” when I had the correct change. Made me wonder what just normal everyday events are like in his life.

I detest the overuse of buzzwords and phrases like “don’t go there” and every other one run into the ground like “cool”. The test of whether a buzzword should be retired is when we hear 75 year old women using them.

 

[OmerV]

I said it was born of ignorance, which it was. Someone heard the mispronunciation, then repeated it to another ignorant friend, etc.

Oops - forgot about that comment. In any case, I imagine that is part of the origin, but I also think part of the popularity of it can be attributed to kids just accepting it as modern slang. I suspect a lot of people who use it realize it's not really a word.

 

[Future]

I am inclined to believe ( being an impartial entity as the qualifier)
That you're on the losing end of the narrative, my friend & fellow forum member

That's fine. I'm not good with sweeping generalizations (in this case, of millenials) based on wrong perceptions of things.

What if I said you were ignorant because of the way you use an ampersand, b/c that's not really how it works? That is what's happening here.

 

[OmerV]

I said it doesn't come from ignorance. I don't care what word it actually came from. Slang, dialect, whatever, isn't ignorance.

The original post about it said it came from an ignorant pronunciation or whatever.

So, you are denying that your original post said we were wrong about where the word came from and that in a snide manner you said we should Google it before commenting?

Your original comment said nothing about dialect or slang, it just said we were wrong about the origin. You only went down that path after seeing that Googling it proved you wrong.

And, again, the Louisiana dialect referred to explains Louisianans - or at least some of them. All regions of the country have some distinctions in their speech patterns. But "ratchet" isn't just being used in Louisiana, is it?

 

[Future]

So, you are denying that your original post said we were wrong about where the word came from and that in a snide manner you said we should Google it before commenting?

Your original comment said nothing about dialect or slang, it just said we were wrong about the origin. You only went down that path after seeing that Googling it proved you wrong.

And, again, the Louisiana dialect referred to explains Louisianans - or at least some of them. All regions of the country have some distinctions in their speech patterns. But "ratchet" isn't just being used in Louisiana, is it?

I said it was wrong that it came from ignorance. The origin is not ignorance, the origin is dialect. This ignorance nonsense is just used to try to sleight younger people, which is beyond snide.

You can argue semantics all you want, but you're arguing a point I'm not making. I don't care if it originally came from that word or not.