Talk:Blackguard

Latest comment: 7 years ago by Soundofmusicals in topic Obsolete?

It is a current (albeit rather old-fashioned) word for scoundrel.

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Surely this is the most likely "look up" meaning to be sought by a casual user? In any case why not put it at the head? PC fanatics may be disturbed by the word "black" in an English word having an apparently derogatory sense, (alas, this is too common to avoid completely!) but to delete the plain meaning of the word on these grounds seems to be drawing a very long bow indeed. --Soundofmusicals (talk) 03:40, 21 March 2014 (UTC)Reply

Obsolete?

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What exactly is an "obsolete" word? (Or, even worse, a "mostly" obsolete one?). Basically this is totally meaningless - words don't get obsolete like cars for which spares can no longer be obtained or recording media or cameras you can no longer acquire players or film for. Or even (heaven help us) last year's mobile phone when "they" need to sell you a new one. Words do go in and out of fashion ("scoundrel" is surely as long gone in this regard as "blackguard"). If the "black" bit grates - give it the correct pronunciation (blaggard, or blaggart). Or don't - nobody says that because it is worth a Wiki article you have to use it. Having said that, it makes a splendid little expletive insult that isn't actually bad language. --Soundofmusicals (talk) 01:00, 6 September 2017 (UTC)Reply