Hmmm, good one. Even though I didn't stay up to see in the new year, my brain is not working. Must be that sparkling cider-ha. I will be back later looking for hints. It certainly seems as though I should be able to get this. A new word-think, Cynthia, think!

Cynthia

Thinking out loud here and probably stating the obvious ... all four phrases name one variety of something that has more than one variety. Day baseball versus night baseball? Snail mail vs. email. Broadcast TV vs. cable, satellite, or internet. Whole milk vs. skim or 2% or 1% or ...

It also seems like all four phrases name things that, at one time, were the only form of that thing that existed. Modern times have brought new forms, so we needed to add a descriptor to the old name to distinguish it from the new.

I hope this blather is helping somebody, because so far it hasn't helped me. What could the word be? I wonder if I even know it.

Keep on thinkin', I guess.

TM

And TM, thank goodness you knew it was word, not work. lol. I check myself so carefuly, and still these things sneak though..

Here are a few more:
wooden bat
silent movies
natural turf
analogue clock

Any ideas on what the word would be? It does follow the usual practise of forming such new names. Or should I say nyms??

Nancy.

Good morning all. Happy New Year! Good bye to the old year! In retrospect, it wasn't a bad one but life does have a way of going forward. Brought in the new year doing an inventory on my seeds before I order any more and watching "William Shatners Weird or What" marathon. And not even one rendition of Auld Lang Syne......must be the new way to celebrate NY's.

Ginny

Ooh W.S.'s Weird or What? Now that would be amusing!

I was thinking along the same lines as TM, but can't come up with the word. Is it word that is hyphenated? Oh, but what I am thinking wouldn't work for whole milk.

Oh, just read more closely. Something with nym? Hmmm. So it can't be 'low-tech" I guess.

Cynthia

This is a good question. I see the pattern, or think I do, but still can't come up with the word. If I had to make up the word, I think I might go with originym -- the name of the original version. Or maybe go the other way and call it a neonym -- new name for the old version.

Still thinkin'.

TM

I left a clue in my first post. Think old style. Think 50's, 60's. That's what comes to mind when I think of this word. That and the word "metrosexual". What next! In fact, this word is also partially contained in the opposite of metrosexual. :)

Ginny

My brain is full of toooooo many other things I have to get done before 6 to give this much thought. we have a houseful coming for our annual beef dip, assorted salad, frozen lemon mousse, accompanied with the usual adult beverages, do it yourself, I'm not serving anybody, so you'd better help yourself if you want to eat, free for all tonight.
I AM giving this some thought but so far have come up with zelch. If I don't get back, which would be later tonight if I haven't zonked out..... A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YA'LL.

Annette

Here's more:

New Coke
Conventional Memory
Conventional War(!)
Manual Transmission

How the little grey cells doing??

Nancy.

My head exploded several hours ago thinking about this. Picking up the pieces and stuffing them back in. maybe tis new configuration will work better...probably not.

Cynthia

While making the greek salad for tonight I had a brain twinge :), Probably not close or not even on the right track but....Nancy does the word you are looking for start with an "R"?

Annette

eeww,ouch, wah... an R?

It does indeed start with an 'R'. lol. Ginny provided a good clue!!

Nancy.

Aha. Thanks, Annette, I think I have it. Took me a while as I am not a rocket scientist. Not sure of Ginny's clue unless it rhymes.

My brain is feeling much better now. Thanks. ;0

Cynthia

Got it. Enough hints finally penetrated the old brain and presto, there it was. Thanks, everyone, for the help.

I remember this prefix from the moon landing days. A r____-rocket is used to slow down a spacecraft.

TM

Ah yes, I remember it well!! It seems also that planets in this phase screw up my horoscope, every now and then....
Are we all on the same old page??

Nancy.

Planets in this phase screw up everybody's horoscope Nancy. Lol! Fortunately, for the moment, they are all going forward! Good way to bring in the new year. :)

Same ol' hard copy here.

Ginny

Yep, on the same page. I was thinking the same as TM when I mentioned rocket science! Wasn't that an amazing experience?!

Thank goodness for all of you fellow rememberers. It is funny because at first I was trying to think of a word that would mean stating the obvious-wooden bat and such. What other kind was there? Ha. My 30-something kid would not get that.

It was Ginny's mention of the 50 and 60's that finally clicked, right or wrong Retro was the word that popped into my head.
Last night was a hit, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, all the leftovers went home with my 6'4 grandson with the exception of what was left of the frozen lemon mousse, our DD latched onto that.

Annette

Well there, that may have cleared the cobwebs out for 2012!! I am hoping for a great year. How bout you?

The word indeed is "retronym". It describes old terms to distinguinsh them from innovations with new ideas that replaced them. In the 1870's, day baseball or wooden bat would have seemed redundant. Now the distinction is necessary. Retronym is a neologism. Maybe I should have asked that?? lol. The term retronym was coined by Frank Mankiewicz in 1980 and popularized by William Safire in The New York Times. In 2000, The American Heritage Dictionary (4th edition) became the first major dictionary to include the word retronym. According to Reader's Digest, coining a retronym for an object is like giving it a golden handshake, signalling that it's become outmoded, the exception rather than the rule.

Everybody got it - soooo happy. New Year's stars for everyone:
{{gwi:595254}}

Have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year, everyone.

Nancy.

If Safire used it, it must be okay!

That is so cool. I love learning new words. Thanks, Nancy. Right back at you, TM, Bobbie, Ginny, Annette and all the occasional trivia players who seem to have dropped off (with the new year's wishes, that is)!

Cynthia

Yes, here's hoping for more players in the new year. Even lurkers with no clue!! Just remember, the only rule is not to google!! Chime in!!

Nancy.

So, would reasonable congressman be a retronym?

Well at least I got the retro part right LOL.

Annette

Lol TM! Good one Nancy! I guess it pays to watch Anderson and Dr Phil on my quiet afternoons.

Back to the rest of my seed inventory and looking for my 125 pkg collection of tomato seeds!!! ARRRGGGGHHH!

Ginny

PS Cynthia, the clue was "retrospect"

lol. TM, I think that is an oxymoron in any time-frame!! "Many oxymorons have been popularised in vernacular speech. Unlike literary oxymorons, many of these are not intended to construct a paradox; they are simply puns. Examples include controlled chaos, open secret, organized mess, alone in a crowd, and accidentally on purpose. There are also examples in which terms that are superficially contradictory are juxtaposed in such a way that there is no contradiction. Examples include same difference, jumbo shrimp, pretty ugly, and hot ice (where hot means stolen and ice means diamonds, respectively, in criminal argot)." Or my favourite - military intelligence! Don't ya love language!!

Nancy.

Ah, Ginny, completely missed that! Good one.

Cynthia

Hahahaha! Nancy, my life is an oxymoron! I'm especially fond of the "organized mess" one! And now I have to find room for storage of my forest! :)

Ginny

lol. TM, I think that is an oxymoron in any time-frame!! "Many oxymorons have been popularised in vernacular speech. Unlike literary oxymorons, many of these are not intended to construct a paradox; they are simply puns. Examples include controlled chaos, open secret, organized mess, alone in a crowd, and accidentally on purpose. There are also examples in which terms that are superficially contradictory are juxtaposed in such a way that there is no contradiction. Examples include same difference, jumbo shrimp, pretty ugly, and hot ice (where hot means stolen and ice means diamonds, respectively, in criminal argot)." Or my favourite - military intelligence! Don't ya love language!!

Nancy.

There I am posting again?? Huh...I look forward to getting my old dinosaur up and running - I don't think I like laptops, but was very glad for the lend over the holidays...On a gardening note: I was given a goldfish plant over the holidays. A friend had started it, and I just put it inot a slightly larger pot that hangs. Wal-Mart had amaryllis bulbs with a pot kit on for $3. If you really had a look you could find one with its leaves just barely poking out!! Bonus. A piece of Brug that broke off in the Fall had roots and leaves sprouting!! It is now potted up, as are the kalanchoe bits from the plant that kitten knocked over. Hope they make a come back!!

Nancy.