Nonce

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Dr. Goodword
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Nonce

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:36 pm

• nonce •

Pronunciation: nahns • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, mass

Meaning: The present moment, one particular time, place or application, not enduring or repeated. (Beware the British slang usage of this word to refer to a sex offender.)

Notes: Today's Good Word originated in an Old English phrase that has survived until today: for the nonce "at this time". Linguists use it in the phrase "a nonce word", referring to a word that applies at only one time for one particular reason. Sometimes they stick around for a while, as did truthiness, but nonce words usually do not ingrain themselves into our vocabulary. Now computer programmers are using nonce numbers, a code that is assigned only once during computer security processing.

In Play: Our sharp-eyed readers often spot nonce words and bring them to our attention since nonce words usually are attention-grabbers. Derrick Vaughan spotted the nonce word dunkadelic, an adjective referring to those basketball players who show off when they dunk the ball through the net. A nonce word. However, some nonce words sometimes survive. Chris Petrella reported this snippet heard in 2007, "Hey listen, Jack just buttdialed me and he's yelling at his dog!" Here buttdialing refers to accidentally speed-dialing someone. So far, it has survived in the US.

Word History: Today's word is a reduction of the Middle English phrase, for then anes "for the one "thing", from Old English "to tham anum". So, despite its looks, nonce does not come from once, even though the meaning suggests this. This is, however, a mondegreen based on a reanalysis of the phrase in which the N from then migrated to the anes. There is nothing unusual about Old English an, which became one and a(n) in Modern English. It comes from the same source as French un, German ein, Russian odin, Latin unus, and Italian and Spanish uno. (Let us thank Jeff Beard of Boulder, Colorado, for the nonce and onward for suggesting today's persistent Good Word.)
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call_copse
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Re: Nonce

Postby call_copse » Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:22 am

"(Beware the British slang usage of this word to refer to a sex offender.)"

Agreed, that is the first thing that came to mind so I did double take when I saw this entry. Of course you can use this in a formation such as 'nonce word' but I would avoid this in let's say less intellectual British company as any even mistaken implication of someone being such would be SERIOUSLY offensive.
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Re: Nonce

Postby LukeJavan8 » Thu Jun 11, 2015 11:51 am

"(Beware the British slang usage of this word to refer to a sex offender.)"

Agreed, that is the first thing that came to mind so I did double take when I saw this entry. Of course you can use this in a formation such as 'nonce word' but I would avoid this in let's say less intellectual British company as any even mistaken implication of someone being such would be SERIOUSLY offensive.

Interested in why this word applies to sex offender, never
heard it and cannot make the connection.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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call_copse
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Re: Nonce

Postby call_copse » Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:29 am

I did hear it came from 'not on normal courtyard exercise' apparently something such offenders tend to get on their records, due to the likelihood of getting shanked or something. I'm not sure that is not a backronym though, perhaps a corruption of something else.

Incidentally it is normally applied to a particular type of sex offender - one with what I remember Elmore Leonard referring to as 'short eyes'.
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Re: Nonce

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Jun 12, 2015 11:46 am

not on normal courtyard exercise. Interesting.

How about "short eyes"? Amazing how we can speak
the same language and not understand each other.
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Re: Nonce

Postby misterdoe » Fri Jun 12, 2015 2:15 pm

I had to look that up, but my suspicion proved to be correct: it means pedophile. :x

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Re: Nonce

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:48 pm

appreciate it. Strange. :!:
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Slava
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Re: Nonce

Postby Slava » Fri Nov 06, 2015 7:50 pm

It might be interesting to find out which came first, nance or nonce. Isn't a nance or nancy an effeminate male in British slang? Perhaps the slang use of nonce is related?

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call_copse
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Re: Nonce

Postby call_copse » Mon Nov 09, 2015 7:22 am

Could be something to do with that.

Incidentally I don't recall hearing Nancy boy or similar in the last twenty years, I'd say it was common usage when growing up in Somerset in the 70's. Perhaps it is the changing times and a further acceptance that people don't need to be insulted for who they are. Or, perhaps I just don't know or associate with folks as would use such terms pejoratively any more. It's a change I think pretty positive overall at any rate!
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Re: Nonce

Postby Philip Hudson » Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:51 pm

The British and the Americans are two kindred groups separated by a common language [A quote from somebody].
During WW II, an English girl might tell an American GI who asked her for a date to come by at a certain time and "knock me up." GI's weren't so dense that they didn't learn very soon that that meant knock on the girl's door and not the other thing.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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