Wordplay

[boogiepop_nagi]

Y'know, there's a metaphor out there that we all hear quite a bit that's been ingrained in our language and our culture for generations, with a firmly established meaning that will likely never be changed at this point. But the more I think about this metaphor, the more I realize that the meaning created for it doesn't make a damned lick of sense

Comments

[olfactory_ninja]

Um, I always took it to mean something was just old, not necessarily obselete. To say "My computer is a dinosaur" is to say that it's old. Its obsolecense is implied, but only because of the nature of electronics, not from the phrase itself. I often use the term dinosaur to describe reletives or professors. Example: "Man, my professor is a dinosaur, he's gotta be 90 years old. He won't even use scantrons for multiple choice tests. (True story, by the way. :/ )" But yeah. That's my view.

[mshts]

I've never heard the word "dinosaur" used in that manner. D:

Like... ever. D:

[chaos_wraith]

Using dinosaurs as a metaphor is a dinosaur of a practice.

I'll... uh... be heading for the exit now...

[patrickjenkins]

CUZ IM A DINSAURUS

ROAR ROAR HEY

EVERYBODY

IM A DINOSAUR

[visonebella]

I've heard the phrase before. I hear it more on TV than anywhere else because it seems to be a term used by the babyboomers. And I've heard it in reference to things that are seen as hopelessly obsolete. Maybe whoever uses this phrase feels like the dinosaurs should have adapted to their impossible circumstances when they went extinct... which makes no sense, lol.

If anything, I can see what you're saying. I think pretty much any life form can't be considered obsolete because life is adaptive in and of itself. We still have archaebacteria that live in the harshest conditions on earth, and they would definitely be considered one of the oldest life forms. While some circumstances can overcome the ability of life forms to adapt, life can never be likened to a piece of obsolete technological equipment. And as always your knowledge in the realm of paleontology is impressive.

lol, you're making me look lazy with all the posts you're doing.