Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#1498 04/20/00 06:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline OP
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
When did story stop meaning a tale (as in storybook) and start meaning outfit (as in fashion)

You can't look at a clothes catalogue (and I don't often) without seeing "a story in soft grey" or any concoction of clothes described as a story. Has anyone else noticed this. is it just the latest marketing-speak.


#1499 04/20/00 07:04 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
maybe we should blame Rod Stewart for this...

("Every Picture Tells a Story")

8-)


#1500 04/27/00 12:10 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 9
P
stranger
Offline
stranger
P
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 9
The fashion use seems to be marketspeak, as you say.

But another more established use is just as puzzling to me... When did it start referring to a level of a building (as in "The office is two stories up.")?

[P.]


[P.]
#1501 04/27/00 01:08 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
every picture tells a story! (who knew?)

from American Heritage Dictionary (AHD):
1. A complete horizontal division of a building, constituting the area between two adjacent levels. 2. The set of rooms on the same level of a building. [Middle English storie, story, from Medieval Latin historia, picture, story (probably from painted windows or sculpture on the front of buildings)


http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/

#1502 04/27/00 12:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
P
addict
Offline
addict
P
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
Interestingly, for us non-Americans, this word is spelled with an extra 'e', as in single-storeyed building. Anyone know when or why? My Shorter Oxford just notes 'story' in this sense as 'earlier'.

Cheers
Paul Bywater


#1503 04/27/00 01:17 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline OP
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
> maybe we should blame Rod Stewart for this...

well Maggie may


#1504 04/09/02 08:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear jmh: I am amazed that the style writes could be satisfied with such a pedestrian word as "story" when the could have called it a "symphony" "a poem" "a statement" except that all of those have already been worn out. Figuratively that is.


#1505 04/09/02 09:20 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline OP
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Gosh Bill, this was well buried, I'd forgotten the discussion. you are quite right, story is such a dull word to use, I'm sure that they could do better.


#1506 04/10/02 01:20 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear jmh: I didn't resurrect this thread. What I know about fashion reporting you could comfortably put in your eye. It had no reply, so fool that I am, I rushed in.



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 435 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5