There are all kinds of phrases still in use today that don't make much literal sense anymore.
"On tenterhooks" comes to mind, which originally referred to a frame used for stretching cloth, but now simply means "left in uncertainty." As far as I know (as if I would know), tenter hooks haven't been in use since the 1700s.
There's also "blow your stack," which originally meant the clearing of a smokestack (or the stack on a steamship) by a sudden burst of air, but now most often means to lose one's temper. Modern individuals, who have very little experience with smokestacks or steamships, may never understand this reference if it weren't for Looney Toons. (You know how characters' heads morph into red smokestacks when they get angry?)
It's interesting to think that many of the phrases we grew up using, and which made obvious and intuitive sense to us, will no longer make sense to future generations. Behold:
Rewinding a movie.
On old VHS tapes, something was clearly winding. We still say "rewind" when referring to DVDs or pay-per-view shows, even though no "winding" is involved. Just wait for that first child to ask you, "Mom, why is it called 'rewinding'?"
Roll up the window.
In most modern cars, there's no lever to turn. Only a button to push. But what alternative phrases could be used? "Raise the window, please, it's cold out there." Nah. Interestingly, you'll notice that characters in movies still pantomime a "rolling up" motion, even when a car would clearly have a button instead. (More about that here.)
Turn the dial.
"Don't turn that dial! I like this song..." On car radios today, it's usually a button rather than a knob or dial. Radio stations still say, "Don't touch that dial" just before going to commercial break.
Hang up the phone.
In the old days (and I remember them), you had to hang the phone back on its cradle in order to end the conversation. These days, once again, we push a button. And when you want to end a phone call indignantly—as I did recently while trying to get some answers from the neanderthals at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue—it's far less satisfying to select "end call" than to slam the phone onto its receiver.
Above the fold.
I remember way back before Al Gore invented the Internet; do you? Back then, we had to get our news from newspapers. And the most important stories were always placed "above the fold" on the front page. This term is also used for websites, believe it or not, indicating that an ad or story appears on the first view, before the user has to scroll down.
Boob tube.
Actually, I think this one went out long before my time. But at least I know what it means. "Boob" used to be another word for "idiot" or "moron," and televisions were once operated by vacuum tubes instead of electronics. The "boob tube" was a nickname emphasizing the idea that television turned people into mindless drones (which it now does even better than ever before). I'm afraid the younger generation might assume a "boob tube" was just another term for "halter top."
As technology keeps advancing, what other terms can you think of that will soon make no sense to the rising generation? Discuss.
