[FRIAM] FW: Pondering the slang Adulting
Steven A Smith
sasmyth at swcp.com
Wed Nov 14 11:09:45 EST 2018
In response to this point as well as Marcus', I think that the concept
of "becoming"... in this case "becoming an adult" is fascinating in the
sense that it is something hard to reverse. "Innocence is a terrible
thing to lose", yet our attempt to raise our children (and/or ourselves)
up to be "adults" seems to involve, require, or at least suggest a loss
of innocence.
I don't know if this is PoMo or PoPoMo, but the coining of a term like
"adulting" seems to try to relieve this a bit. The definition I found
implied "taking up (some of?) the features normally associated with
being an adult". This seems to relieve some of the tension with
remaining "innocent" while "ripening"?
I'm first reader on a memoir right now and the forward used the term
"re-invention" and I brought up with the author the contrast of that
term with "re-discovery" as much of the material seemed to be
reflections on the way she came to recognize or remember things she
probably always knew but in her attempt to "be an adult" managed to
forget or push down, at least temporarily.
Thanks to Gil for stimulating another interesting opportunity for
reflection.
On 11/13/18 10:55 PM, Nick Thompson wrote:
>
> Sorry, all. I meant this also to go to the list. See below:
>
>
>
> Frank, this etymology seems wildly improbable. Do you think you might
> try it on your Latin scholar and see what she thinks. I suppose the
> two words could have converged in time. But I am awfully tempted by
> the notion of an adult as one who lacks innocence. On the other hand,
> the notion of a child as innocent sounds terrible Rousseau.
>
>
>
> It’s a hairball.
>
>
>
> Is the on-line etymology site reliable? I have been using it for
> years and sometimes the results are a bit bizarre.
>
>
>
> Nick
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Nicholas S. Thompson
>
> Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
>
> Clark University
>
> http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
> <http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
>
>
>
> *From:*Nick Thompson [mailto:nickthompson at earthlink.net]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 13, 2018 9:31 PM
> *To:* 'Frank Wimberly' <wimberly3 at gmail.com>
> *Subject:* RE: [FRIAM] Pondering the slang Adulting
>
>
>
> The online etymological dictionary seems to suggest that there are two
> quite different sources for adult and adulterate. Seems unlike, but
> there it is:
>
>
>
> *adult (adj.)*
>
> 1530s (but not common until mid-17c.) "grown, mature," from Latin
> adultus "grown up, mature, adult, ripe," past participle of adolescere
> "grow up, come to maturity, ripen," from ad "to" (see ad-
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/ad-?ref=etymonline_crossreference>) +
> alescere "be nourished," hence, "increase, grow up," inchoative of
> alere "to nourish," from a suffixed form of PIE root *al-
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/*al-?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_52550>
> (2) "to grow, nourish."
>
> Meaning "mature in attitude or outlook" is from 1929. As a euphemism
> for "pornographic," it dates to 1958 and does no honor to the word. In
> the old British film-rating system, A indicated "suitable for exhibit
> to adult audiences," and thus, implicitly, unsuitable for children (1914).
>
>
> adultery (n.)
>
> "voluntary violation of the marriage bed," c. 1300, avoutrie, from Old
> French avouterie (12c., later adulterie, Modern French adultĕre), noun
> of condition from avoutre, from Latin adulterare "commit adultery;
> corrupt," from ad "to" (see ad-
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/ad-?ref=etymonline_crossreference>) +
> alterare "to alter" (see alter
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/alter?ref=etymonline_crossreference>).
> Compare adulteration
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/adulteration?ref=etymonline_crossreference>.
> The spelling was corrected toward Latin from early 15c. in English,
> following French (see ad-
> <https://www.etymonline.com/word/ad-?ref=etymonline_crossreference>).
>
> In Middle English, also "sex between husband and wife for recreational
> purposes; idolatry, perversion, heresy." As a crime, formerly
> classified as single adultery (with an unmarried person) and double
> adultery (with a married person). The Old English word was æwbryce
> "breach of law(ful marriage)" (similar formation in German Ehebruch).
> In translations of the 7th Commandment it is understood to mean
> "lewdness or unchastity" of any kind, in act or thought.
>
>
>
>
>
> Nicholas S. Thompson
>
> Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
>
> Clark University
>
> http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
> <http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
>
>
>
> *From:*Frank Wimberly [mailto:wimberly3 at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 13, 2018 8:56 PM
> *To:* Thompson, Nicholas <nickthompson at earthlink.net
> <mailto:nickthompson at earthlink.net>>
> *Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] Pondering the slang Adulting
>
>
>
> Written with tongue in cheek:
>
>
>
> Adulthood usually involves unadulterated avoidance of infantile and
> adolescent (recapitulates infancy) themes such as adultery (Oedipal)
> which frequently appear in adult movies, so-called because they are
> ill-advised for viewing by children who should know that there is hope
> of escaping the, to them, terrifying universal sexual dramas.
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------
> Frank Wimberly
>
> My memoir:
> https://www.amazon.com/author/frankwimberly
>
> My scientific publications:
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frank_Wimberly2
>
> Phone (505) 670-9918
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 13, 2018, 8:38 PM Nick Thompson
> <nickthompson at earthlink.net <mailto:nickthompson at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> I have often mused about trying to explain to a child what “adult”
> means, given
>
>
>
> Adulthood
>
> Adulterate
>
> Adult movies
>
> Adultery
>
>
>
> N
>
>
>
>
>
> Nicholas S. Thompson
>
> Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
>
> Clark University
>
> http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
> <http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
>
>
>
> *From:*Friam [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com
> <mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com>] *On Behalf Of *Gillian Densmore
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 13, 2018 4:26 PM
> *To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
> <friam at redfish.com <mailto:friam at redfish.com>>
> *Subject:* [FRIAM] Pondering the slang Adulting
>
>
>
> I got to talking with dad today and I hadn't though about how the
> slang adulting might have come about. My guess was in the sense of
> 'going off to be a' if you have a playful personality
>
> Thoughts?
>
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