Mark Murphy: what happened to the word collywobbles?

Now, when I was growing up it meant a spoilt child acting up but now it’s something completely different.

It’s defined as someone with a "confident, independent and hedonistic attitude" and it’s been inspired by the singer Charli XCX.

What started as the name of her number one album has arguably grown into a cultural movement with people adopting the so-called brat way of life.

Kamala Harris is a self-proclaimed 'brat' Even the US presidential candidate Kamala Harris (who I pray to God wins the US election next week) has adopted the word 'brat' hoping to attract younger voters.

We can moan about these new words, but language evolves, and each new generation brings in words and phrases of their own.

I was looking at words that have gone out of fashion and there are some corkers that ought to come back.

Everywhere I go I hear people using the F word in everyday language, and I’m ashamed to say I use it more than I really should do.

It’s become so commonplace it’s lost much of its shock value. Perhaps we should revert to the old F word 'Fiddlesticks' instead. Now that would be fun to use instead of exclaiming “Oh F”, you could shout, “Oh Fiddlesticks”. Much nicer!

Have you got the collywobbles? (Image: Archant)

Other words I’d like to see come back include 'collywobbles', a feeling of anxiety or nervousness in the stomach. I guess we now say, “I’ve got the butterflies”, but I think even that’s on the way out.

The words B S could be replaced by the word, baloney. It means, ideas, statements or beliefs that you think are silly or untrue, a much nicer way to describe lies.

Apparently, the word 'dollop' is falling out of favour. I think that’s a great measurement. If someone said to me “I’d like a dollop of mashed potato”, I’d know exactly how much they wanted.

After decades of getting up to host a breakfast show on the radio, the urge to lie in is very strong, so I could be called a 'slugabed' which means someone who stays in bed after the usual or proper time to get up. I could also be called a 'lumming' - someone who on occasions has the overwhelming urge to do nothing!

Other words slipping out of favour include 'blither' which means to talk foolishly or nonsense. 'Bumptious' is also on the way out. It means someone who is self-assertive or conceited.

The word 'discombobulate' is disappearing too. That’s a lovely sounding word, which means to confuse.

If you take off a hat or clothing no one uses the word 'doff' anymore and the word 'rapscallion', someone who causes trouble, is all but gone too.

Mind you, I don’t think that would sound right with some of troublemakers of today.

We still 'gallivant' but I bet no one uses the word to describe going out and enjoying yourself. It’s a word my mum used all the time.

The old word 'fudgel' used to be used to describe someone who pretends to work, and I bet we’ve all worked with one of those.

The oddest word I’ve discovered not being used today is 'callipygian' which means, and I quote, having well shaped buttocks! Of all the old words I’d like to see come back that one would be best left to history, or you could find yourself up before the HR department at work!

Anyway, I hope you have a “brat” weekend and that Kamala “Brat” Harris defeats that old curmudgeon Donald Trump next week. Fingers crossed.