Cum Again?

HSB saw this photo floating around online recently, which had many folks talking at lengths about it.

Lots of excitement and chatter on the use of the word “cum”. Now, who says that guys are only obsessed with Singaporeans are not creative?

source

But is the word choice really wrong?  A quick check online seems to reveal otherwise.

Cum:

1. Used between two nouns to designate an object of a combined nature  [Latin: with, together with, along with]  source
2. A vulgar slang word for the liquid that comes out of the male privates* [*Sanitised for under age readers] source

From the reaction towards the banner, we guess that most people are used to the second definition. In fact, it’s so widespread that we have come to accept it, even if it’s vastly different from its original intent.

Cum is just one of the many words that had gain a new meaning over time. Below are some other examples that HSB thought of.  Just like superheroes, there are many words which have *gasp* “alter-egos” in them:

1)      Incredible

source

How we usually use it: Amazing, extraordinary – “I had the most incredible day ever! Best day of my life”

What it originally / also mean: Not credible, unbelievable

‘Incredible’ started its meaning as not credible when it entered English in the early 1400s. These days, people began using them loosely and in a more positive form. 

2)      Terrific 

How we usually use it: extremely good; excellent – “That was a terrific goal scored by Singapore!”

What it originally / also mean: Causing terror, terrifying, terrible, frightful

The word started out with the meaning of terror-inducing. But it took a different turn during the 19^th/ 20^th century and ended up meaning really great.

3)      Gay

How we usually use it: (of a person, especially a man) homosexual – “Have you heard? John is gay sia!”

What it originally / also mean: Light-hearted and carefree; bright and showy

Gay meaning ‘homosexual’ became established in the 1960s as the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves. So vastly different from its original meaning…?

4)      Awesome

How we usually use it. Something that's  very impressive - "This Char Kway Teow is awesome la!"

What it originally / also mean: Inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear.

We probably feared for our cholesterol.

5)      Factoid

source

How we usually use it: A brief interesting fact / shorten summary of the facts

What it originally / also mean: The suffix –“oid” usually means resembling, but not really the real deal. E.g. humanoid, planetoid etc.

So technically, a factoid should be something that resembles a fact, but is not a fact…

So was the choice of word used in the banner wrong?

Inappropriate perhaps, in today’s context, but not if we consider what were their original meaning.  

A slang word becomes standard; standard word takes on a slang meaning. That’s what makes the English language so incredible, terrific and awesome to begin with, right? :)