"enthused"

[The Knize]

I seem to be on a "word" kick today. You will have to pardon me for that!

But was anyone taught that the word "enthused" was bad English and should always be avoided?

My Brother apparently was, and from what I read on-line, he would not be misremembering or mistaking what he was taught.

But he is five years younger than I am and went to the same schools I did. The idea that that the word "enthused" "does not exist" seems like an archaic idea to me, and I do not recall anyone ever criticising its use in any school instruction that I ever had, and I am sure I was instructed in lots of outmoded English language principles!

 

[Doc4]

I checked my Pocket Oxford Dictonary (4th editon of 1941, revised 1946 and reprinted 1961) and "enthuse" is there as a colloquialism only.

I checked Modern English Usage (1st ed) and "enthuse" is cross-referenced to "back formation"; and "enthuse" was grouped in the majority there, felt to be "irregular, & used only as slang or jocosely".

But that was eighty years ago. Maybe we're a bit more enthused about it now than Messrs. Fowler and Fowler were back then. (Doesn't make us right, though, just understood by our peers.)

 

[Stubblefield]

Despite its acceptance by carnys and door-to-door salesmen, I'd never use it.

 

[ouch]

Reading this thread has embiggened me.

 

[rickboone1]

misremembered...now THAT'S funny. Heard it first on some political show.

Hey, if "enthused" is good enough for door to door salesmen, it's good enough for me.

 

[The Knize]

Thanks for the comments. I know the background, now anyway, of why some think enthused "is not a real word."

My question was more specifically: Were folks taught that it was incorrect in school?

My education was medium decent--No. Va. public schools--and I do not remember it coming up at all.

Seems odd that a usage the still bothers some folks, would not even be mentioned in my English classes!

My wife who went to public schools in Montpelier, Vermont, said that she had never heard of it being incorrect either. She, like I, see differences in the usage of enthusiastic and enthused. It hard/awkard to convey the exact meanings using enthusiastic only!

 

[rickboone1]

At one time I had a list of words that I was taught were proper words, later to find out (or be taught) they were not actually. And, quite the opposite as well. Taught in school that a word was wrong, later to find out it was a commonly accepted word.

For instance. Littler. I was taught, and always felt, littler or littlest was wrong. It was smaller or smallest. So, the progression was; little, smaller, smallest. Even more little was not correct. It wasn't until I got married that I'd ever heard the word "littler". After that commercial about littlest pet shop I began to hear more and more of this "improper" word. I think the same can be said about the word "ain't". There are a number of words that are invented throughout time. Initially, they're taught to one generation they are wrong. Many have heard the infamous ain't ain't a word. Now, the common rebuttal is that it is in the dictionary. Get a dictionary from 50 years ago and it will not be in there.

For the word "enthused", I've never heard it, nor do I have a clue as to its meaning. I have heard misremembered, though.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

Hey, I also went to school in NoVa - JEB Stuart. I didn't pay any attention there, but I don't recall being taught by anyone that "enthused" was improper. This is the first time I've ever heard anything about it.

Now that I think about it - and say it a couple of times - enthused is sort of an ugly sounding word. Like the sound mud would make coming out of a suction tube. I am partial to enthusiastic.

 

[ouch]

This thread reminds me of the old I Love Lucy episode where she hires an English professor to improve her speaking. He tells her, "There are two words which we never use. One is lousy, and the other is swell." To which Lucy responds.....

"Well, what are they?"

 

[oscarbowman]

This thread reminds me of the old I Love Lucy episode where she hires an English professor to improve her speaking. He tells her, "There are two words which we never use. One is lousy, and the other is swell." To which Lucy responds.....

"Well, what are they?"

Thats amazing!

 

[danparker77]

My mother is a secretary at a school and has been for 25 years. She was appalled this year when a 13 y/o girl couldn't not read the note she had written since it was in cursive. The teacher told my irate mom that they don't teach cursive anymore. It was a waste of time, since virtually everything is in print anymore. No hand written letters, notes are taken on laptops, blackboards have turned into huge touchscreen monitors....... Not trying to hijack the thread just saying there are a lot of things that were taught 5-10 years ago that are now considered "archaic".

 

[Doc4]

My mother is a secretary at a school and has been for 25 years. She was appalled this year when a 13 y/o girl couldn't not read the note she had written since it was in cursive. The teacher told my irate mom that they don't teach cursive anymore. It was a waste of time, since virtually everything is in print anymore. No hand written letters, notes are taken on laptops, blackboards have turned into huge touchscreen monitors....... Not trying to hijack the thread just saying there are a lot of things that were taught 5-10 years ago that are now considered "archaic".

... like the double negative?

 

[rickboone1]

... like the double negative?

Where?

 

[The Knize]

Hey, I also went to school in NoVa - JEB Stuart. I didn't pay any attention there, but I don't recall being taught by anyone that "enthused" was improper. This is the first time I've ever heard anything about it.

Now that I think about it - and say it a couple of times - enthused is sort of an ugly sounding word. Like the sound mud would make coming out of a suction tube. I am partial to enthusiastic.

I went to HS right up the street! George C. Marshall HS. (If one considers Rt. 7 a "street" and "right up" being 5.5 miles, and allows for Peace Valley Lane not "being on" or even quite connecting to Rt. 7. Although it is not far.

I kind of like the song of "enthused." I forget what the word for words that sound like what they represent is, but enthused seems at least somewhat in that direction. Overall, I guess it is hard for me to argue that 5 sylables are necessary when 2 syllables accomplish the same meaning!

 

[The Knize]

Thats amazing!

That is a great joke!

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

I went to HS right up the street! George C. Marshall HS. (If one considers Rt. 7 a "street" and "right up" being 5.5 miles, and allows for Peace Valley Lane not "being on" or even quite connecting to Rt. 7. Although it is not far.

I kind of like the song of "enthused." I forget what the word for words that sound like what they represent is, but enthused seems at least somewhat in that direction. Overall, I guess it is hard for me to argue that 5 sylables are necessary when 2 syllables accomplish the same meaning!

I used to go to a therapist who worked directly across the street from Marshall! Not Rt. 7, but the street that runs perpendicular to it. She was in the small office park on the left if you were driving towards Tyson's and away from the city of Falls Church.

I think onomatopoeia is the word you're looking for.

 

[The Knize]

I used to go to a therapist who worked directly across the street from Marshall! Not Rt. 7, but the street that runs perpendicular to it. She was in the small office park on the left if you were driving towards Tyson's and away from the city of Falls Church.

I think onomatopoeia is the word you're looking for.

My wife is a clinical psychologist in private practice on the other side or the river (the Potomac River)! We may well know who you were seeing. That land area around Marshall has really been developed since I was at GMC. GMC is really in the Tysons Cormer, not the Falls Church, area these days.