[Magdalen] the word "smart"

[Lesley de Voil]

My mother (+rip 2004 at 96yrs) used to remark "too smart for your/their own
good" when applied to us kids, who  had come up with some  cheeky
rejoinder, so it's always had a more than slight pejorative ring about it,
over here on the other side of the bigger pond.

Regards
Lesley de Voil

On Tue, 14 Jul 2020 at 20:30, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:

> We were talking about words yesterday and I remembered:
> my grandmother used the word "smart" to describe someone fashionably
> dressed,
> and a "smart car" was new, shiny, bordering on vulgar.
>
> My mother used "smart" in that sense, too, and also to mean "intelligent,"
>
> To me, a smart person is intelligent and a bit canny,
> and a smart car fits in a tiny parking space.
>
> Words just go on changing.
> No wonder we cling to our BCP.
> -M
>
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