Do you know these 24 new words from 1924?

Posted by: Scott    Tags:      Posted date:  February 28, 2011  |  2 Comments


There’s a full-page ad in the April 1924 issue of The Mentor magazine for Webster’s New International Dictionary, which includes an endorsement from Calvin Coolidge in which he states that the volume “has been the official reference and authority in my office here in Washington during my service as Vice President.” Which means it wasn’t a recent endorsement at the time, since Coolidge had been President since 1923.

The ad also states that thousands of new words had been added since the previous edition, and challenges you to identify 24 of them.

Here are those 24 sample words:

Czecho-Slovak
Murman Coast
daylight saving
junior college
capital ship
duvetyn
mirrorscope
Devil Dog
overhead
hot pursuit
mystery ship
kafirin
Air Council
marquisette
vitamin
Schick test
agrimotor
mudgun
broadcast
Esthonia
aerial cascade
narcism
rotogravure
plasmon

The words or phrases I find most interesting are the ones about new-fangled technologies that are now old, like “rotogravure” and “broadcast.” How amazing once were the inventions we now think ancient!

I recognized 13 of the 24. How about you?





2 Comments for Do you know these 24 new words from 1924?


Cathy

I actually have this issue of the Mentor, and 8 more from the same year, 1924.
Interested in maybe buying them?

    Scott

    I appreciate the offer, but I’m doing my best to declutter. Thanks, though!