Lexicons may seem like a strange blog topic but I became fascinated by the topic while driving home from Ann Arbor. I said something to Lindsey (who is 20 years younger than me) about “booze” and she cracked up…..”I just love it when you say the word ‘booze’ “!
What? Booze is booze.
“No, she said. “It is liquor. No one says the word “booze” anymore.”
Well, I felt about 109 years old!
In linguistics, the lexicon of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions. When linguists study the lexicon, they study such things as what words are, how the vocabulary in a language is structured, how people use and store words, how they learn words and the history and evolution of words.
Lindsey went on to say that her boyfriend’s grandmother will often ask to go to a “beer joint” for lunch because she likes the food. In today’s language…….”Let’s go to a pub for lunch. I’m in the mood for some bar food”.
Well, grandma just used different words, but she meant the same thing….
How “cool” is that?
wayfaringandwanderlust 
I also use booze as in “boozer”or “booze hound”. How do you convert liquor to those words…….”liquor hound” or he’s such a ” liquorer”? Oh hell, think I’ll go down to the beer joint and booze a little!
I just read this.. it’s hilarious! I didn’t mean to make you feel old Deena. Please don’t stop saying “booze”- it makes me smile.
Greta,
We now call a drunk person “sh*t housed” or “trashed”. This is only used when they are currently drunk, of course. If not, then I guess they’re just a “drunk”. I think we need a new word for that:)