'Do you know what a spendthrift is? Most don’t!' blog discussion

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  • Charis
    Charis Posts: 1,302 Forumite
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    Why use archaic language anyway? If you want to get a message across to the next generation, couch it in terms they understand. My kids' eyes glaze over when I unthinkingly say 'ten bob' when reminiscing about pre decimal currency. Wassat mum? They ask.
  • GreenGreenGrass-of-home
    GreenGreenGrass-of-home Posts: 58 Forumite
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    Charis wrote: »
    Why use archaic language anyway? If you want to get a message across to the next generation, couch it in terms they understand. My kids' eyes glaze over when I unthinkingly say 'ten bob' when reminiscing about pre decimal currency. Wassat mum? They ask.

    While I can understand your children being confused at 'ten bob', 'spendthrift' is a perfectly normal everyday word.
  • Errata
    Errata Posts: 38,230 Forumite
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    Charis wrote: »
    Why use archaic language anyway? If you want to get a message across to the next generation, couch it in terms they understand. My kids' eyes glaze over when I unthinkingly say 'ten bob' when reminiscing about pre decimal currency. Wassat mum? They ask.
    But they'll thank you when it's the winning answer in their pub quiz ;)
    .................:)....I'm smiling because I have no idea what's going on ...:)
  • DJ_Mike
    DJ_Mike Posts: 247 Forumite
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    edited 17 August 2010 at 5:08PM
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    GreenGreenGrass-of-home wrote: »
    I'm not sure Mike is right is saying that a spendthrift 'flourishes in spending'.

    OED describes the origin of 'thrift' as:

    prosperity, acquired wealth or success

    So I'd guess that 'spendthrift' means (or meant) spending either your own savings, or savings/wealth that you've acquired.
    I'm going by dictionary.com which describes 'thirft' as being an obselete version of 'prosperity', while the definitition of prosperity is:

    "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, esp. in financial respects; good fortune."

    In particular the "thriving condition" is of importance - so you could take 'spendthrift' to be the 'thriving condition of spending'.

    Or taken the other way, 'thrift' is prosperity of wealth, and 'spendthrift' is someone who fritters away their prosperity of wealth.

    I guess the word by itself is somewhat ambiguous at best! Probably best that it is left to expire!
  • GreenGreenGrass-of-home
    GreenGreenGrass-of-home Posts: 58 Forumite
    edited 17 August 2010 at 5:25PM
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    DJ_Mike wrote: »
    I'm going by dictionary.com which describes 'thirft' as being an obselete version of 'prosperity', while the definitition of prosperity is:

    "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, esp. in financial respects; good fortune."

    In particular the "thriving condition" is of importance - so you could take 'spendthrift' to be the 'thriving condition of spending'.

    Or taken the other way, 'thrift' is prosperity of wealth, and 'spendthrift' is someone who fritters away their prosperity of wealth.

    I guess the word by itself is somewhat ambiguous at best! Probably best that it is left to expire!

    I think it's most likely to be your final suggestion. It does seem that the origins are a little hazy. However, I disagree that the word 'spendthrift' should be left by the roadside to die. As I mentioned above, it's a normal everyday word as far as I'm concerned. In fact, I'm quite sure that you use many words every day that have older origins than that of 'spendthrift' (for example, 'prosperity'). So age itself is no reason to discard a useful word.

    Indeed, the majority of posters on Martin's FB thread got the definition correct, despite the blog's title.
  • sidsmum
    sidsmum Posts: 66 Forumite
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    It's a word I've heard many times, usually when people were accusing me of being one. I am 68, my grandmother used it a lot.
  • luxor4t
    luxor4t Posts: 11,125 Forumite
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    I knew what it meant as I use it regularly, I also use "thriftless" - can't understand why the word should be considered obsolete!
    I can cook and sew, make flowers grow.
  • bylromarha
    bylromarha Posts: 10,085 Forumite
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    GreenGreenGrass-of-home wrote: »
    While I can understand your children being confused at 'ten bob', 'spendthrift' is a perfectly normal everyday word.

    Not among my peers and I!

    I cannot remember one conversation with my husband, my peers or my colleagues where the word spendthrift has been used.

    I'm mid thirties - I can tell you what ten bob is as mum used that term a bit, but spendthrift? Never had a clue.
    Who made hogs and dogs and frogs?
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    I remember being told in Junior school by a teacher what the words spendthrift and miser meant. I wonder if the people who don't know are younger (I'm early 40s).
  • aliasojo
    aliasojo Posts: 23,053 Forumite
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    bylromarha wrote: »
    I cannot remember one conversation with my husband, my peers or my colleagues where the word spendthrift has been used.

    Clearly you don't have the kind of partner whose spending habits require you to call him names occasionally. Mine prefers me to use words like spendthrift...it's very much the least of the evils. ;):D
    Herman - MP for all! :)
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