The Avengers...an interesting sentiment

Recently I sat down with my children after a full day's work and watched “The Avengers”.  A couple of days later I overheard a couple of the older boys talking in the office. They were commenting on how many times the word “sentiment” was used in the movie. They found it a bit strange since 'sentiment' isn't a word typically used in everyday conversation.

It got me thinking, 'perhaps this is how faddish words and phrases get started. I remember my Grandma Pope used to use the word swell all the time. Richie Cunningham used to say 'swell' quite a bit as well, so I figure it came from the 50's. I mustn't forget 'Sit on it!' or 'Kiss my grits'. I recall “The Mod Squad” and “The Brady Bunch” using the term 'groovy' quite often (I may have used it as well, but I'll never tell). Who starts these faddish sayings anyway? (this is not a rhetorical question- I really have no idea.)

Think about it. People have had cool cars, a rad time, a groovy sound, a neato toy, a killer burrito... However today, to say groovy would not be "groovy". In fact, to say most of these words would be old-fashioned, dated, laughable.

It seems in some way these idioms serve to help define a generation. Generations like the baby boomers or the hippies all had their own idioms. But that makes one think, What is a generation anyway? I would think I am a part of today's generation simply by virtue of the fact that I'm alive and because I no longer say groovy.

 According to Dictionary.com I'm not far off the mark.

gen·er·a·tion [jen-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. The entire body of individuals born and living at about the same time.( This one makes my above premise possible) 

2. The term of years, roughly 30 among human beings,accepted as the average period between the birth of parents and the birth of their offspring. 

3. A group of individuals, most of whom are the same approximate age, having similar ideas, problems, attitudes,etc. 

4. A group of individuals belonging to a specific category at the same time: Chaplin belonged to the generation of silent-screenstars. 

5. A single step in natural descent, as of human beings,animals, or plants.

I suppose that all of this is an odd sentiment, but from what I can tell from “The Avengers”, having a sentiment is a very stylish thing and since I am evidently from this generation I might as well join the fad. I'll bet a lot of you remember some interesting words and phrases that identified a generation/era. Share them with us and remind us what generation they came from. I only ask that you keep them clean. Thanks for reading!


Robin Liner is a wife, mother of six, and the female mind behind the plus size women's brand, TheCasualWoman.com. Her busy lifestyle makes her a champion for quality casual clothing that can stand the test of time.