X factor, and 8 other words that are older than you think

We’ve looked a few times at words that are older than you think, and the series continues apace: here are nine further words that you might think are recent additions to the language, but have actually been spoken and written for rather longer than you may imagine.

X factor (1930)

Photo credit: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

The TV show didn’t invent the phrase, of course, but what you might not expect is how long people have been talking about the X factor (‘an indefinable but important element’). It’s found as far back as 1930, appearing in the New York Times.

Celebrity (1849)

The word celebrity was actually around several centuries ago, meaning a ceremony, or the observance of a ceremony – but in its most common current sense (a famous or talked-about person) it’s still not very new: people have been called celebrities since the mid-19^th century.

Wassup (1902)

Made famous by a Budweiser commercial in the late 90s and early 2000s, wassup (or whassup) as a colloquial pronunciation of what’s up has written evidence from around a century earlier, in a 1902 novel by Arthur Morrison.

Holla (1523)

Holla, as an interjection, is popular in some circles today – but you’d also have been understood back in the 16^th century, where holla was used as an exclamation meaning ‘stop’ or, as seen in Love’s Labour’s Lost, a shout to excite attention.

OMG (1917)

Standing for Oh my God, and used to express astonishment, this initialism predates textspeak by many decades. It is first found, indeed, in a letter to Winston Churchill (later Prime Minister) from 1917.

Xmas (1551)

The earliest use of this abbreviation for Christmas should stem any concerns about falling standards of English when stood in front of greetings cards stands this December: it dates back as far as the mid-16^th century. The X represents the first letter (‘chi’) of the Greek Khristos, ‘Christ’.

Spork (1909)

A handy tool, particularly if packing lightly for a picnic, the spork isn’t a latter-day invention. Indeed, the term dates back over a century, as far as 1909.

Hairdryer (1895)

The process of getting ready in the morning is no 21^st-century invention. You might be surprised to learn that the term hair-dryer was first used as early as 1895, according to current research, with hair straightener following three years later.

Bezzie (1865)

This might just be one for the Brits reading this – but if you call your best friend your bezzie mate, don’t worry that you’re using modern slang: though it’s certainly seen more traction in recent years, the earliest bezzie has been found is right back in 1865.

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Simon Thomas

Simon Thomas previously worked in Marketing for Oxford Dictionaries, and now writes freelance. Follow his blog and find him on Twitter for more musings on language and literature.
Published

October 7 / 2015
Categories
- English in use
Tags

bezzie, celebrity, hairdryer, holla, older, OMG, popular, spork, wassup, X factor, Xmas

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JFrederick

“When stood in front of” OMG OMG OMG OMG.
Your grammar is even more dubious than your words.
I cannot believe that an ‘esteemed’ institution like yours can be so appallingly ignorant of correct grammar.
Naturally, I expect you to try to justify this usage but it won’t wash.
It is simply incorrect.
The correct form is, of course, “When standing in front of”
Geddit?
- Jonn Mero
  
  You might have been a bit hasty here, mate. *Stood’ in this context equals, as far as I can remember, ‘placed’. Or ‘made to stand’.
  - JFrederick
    
    John Mero
    Sorry John but that’s not the case.
    You often hear, “I was sat”. This is wrong. The correct form is, “I was sitting”.
    The same applies to, ” I was stood”.
    Nobody stood the person in front of the card stand.
    - winnp
      
      I’m sorry dear Mr. Frederick, but Jonn has it right here I think. Whether or not you like that use of “stood,” it most certainly is well-entrenched in the English language. It probably violates some grammar guideline, but grammarians have never understood the actual English language the way people use it in real life.
      - JFrederick
        
        Sorry, my friend but correct grammar is the basis of language (all languages) otherwise the language just rots away and is lost.
        Learn the grammar and use it or lose it.
      - winnp
        
        What you call “rot” is the natural evolution and progression of language. An English speaker from 1000 years ago would hardly be able to understand you because grammar is not static, it is fluid and dynamic, and the meaning and use of words shifts over time. Grammarian rules sometimes accurately describe the real “rules” most English speakers follow, but at least as often the grammarian is simply trying to create a language far more static and inflexible than English really is. In this case, it’s pretty clear this usage of “stood” is fairly widespread at least in some populations of English speakers, so it is therefore a healthy and normal part of this living language.
      - JFrederick
        
        What you mean is that language should descend to the lowest common denominator.
        If your thesis is correct, what would be the point of English teachers?
        Which form of English would you teach foreigners?
        You appear to be ‘anti-grammarian’. I’m not sure whether this is from conviction or just an aversion to being taught.
        It reminds me of the famous Homer Simpson cry, “If there’s anything I hate being taught….. it’s a lesson!!”
        If you were a sportsman, let’s say a footballer, would you learn the rules and abide by the referee’s decision or would you say that the game is evolving and I’ll do as I like.
        There is a theme emerging here.
        Many people today do whatever they like without any thought for others until the fatal day arrives when someone says, “Stop! You can’t do that!”.
        Then we hear the feeble excuse, “Well nobody has complained before. I ‘ve always done it”.
Graham Wyles

I understood Lear’s, ‘runcible spoon’, to be the utilitarian fork/spoon.
daqu

Is the U.S. slang “bestie” (for best friend, usually used among and referring to women) the U.S. equivalent of U.K.’s “bezzie” (which I had not known of before) ?
C L Couch

The ages of the words did not surprise me. Words evolve over time, typically, which means most (not all) words have an identifiable history. And I don’t think TV invented anything except itself. (And I like TV.) I’d imagine “X factor” might derive from X itself standing for the unknown, for God, or where the treasure is. And “Holla” is one of those words that make folk think Shakespeare is not for them, even though–as is used now–the word is simply conversational. Engaging article. Thank you!