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0 pointspfranz5y ago0 comments

I always think of the famous Hindenburg crash tape. "it's a terrific crash" 1937 for those, like me, that weren't sure of the decade.

0 comments

Sure - but that is "terrific" in the still-current sense of "massive, of great size" - not the archaic use in the parent.

pfranzOP5y ago

The only reason I remember that use is because it sounded out of place to me.

This posting [1] puts the usage change from around 1880-1930. I've always taken the modern usage to mean unusually fine/magnificent.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

Sure - but that is "terrific" in the still-current sense of "massive, of great size" - not the archaic use in the parent.

pfranzOP5y ago

The only reason I remember that use is because it sounded out of place to me.

This posting [1] puts the usage change from around 1880-1930. I've always taken the modern usage to mean unusually fine/magnificent.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse