Weird words and funny slang terms from WWI we still use today

Soldiers, flung into the industrial horror of the war, found themselves grappling with shocking new technologies: from tanks and machine guns to chemical weapons.

Their experience of warfare, as a result, was also entire new. As a result, it needed a new language that could encapsulate the wide range of emotions that felt.

As a result, soldiers at the front began to coin terms that reflected their daily realities.

They ended up creating many phrases that were rich with irony, dark humor, and even stark pragmatism.

The reason this could happen was also due to the unique environment they found themselves in. 

The soldiers were living and fighting with people from an incredibly diverse cultural and social backgrounds.

The war had created an incredible melting pot of languages and dialects.

English-speaking soldiers found themselves interacting with their French, German, and Italian counterparts.

Moreover, the monotonous nature of trench warfare itself, with its long periods of waiting punctuated by intense bouts of violence, gave ample opportunity for wordplay to fill time.

In such close quarters, slang served as a shorthand for complex emotions and experiences. 

Originally used to describe the moment of going over the trench parapets to attack the enemy.

Now, it is used to describe anything excessive or extreme.

In the context of WWI, this referred to heavy drinking sessions by soldiers who were 'on a binge'.

It has since expanded to describe overindulgence in activities, such as binge-watching TV shows.

Short for "bum fodder", implying toilet paper and used to refer to excessive paperwork and red tape.

Now, it's often used to describe useless or excessive documentation.

Originally designed as an alternative to the heavy serge coats worn by British and French soldiers in the trenches.

Now, it refers to a style of coat that is a staple in fashion.

This term referred to the unoccupied ground between the opposing trenches, often heavily guarded and dangerous.

It has come to mean any desolate or abandoned area or situation where no one has control.

Initially described the psychological trauma experienced by soldiers due to the incessant bombardment.

Today, it is used more broadly to refer to any post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute reaction to stress.

Derived from the Hindustani word "khush" meaning pleasant. Used by soldiers to describe something that was easy or comfortable.

In contemporary usage, it means a job or task that is easy and comfortable.

Used to express being tired or unhappy with a situation, which mirrors the current use almost exactly.

Soldiers used it to express their weariness with the war and conditions in the trenches.

Originally referred to a shell that failed to explode. Nowadays, it is used more broadly to describe something that fails to meet expectations or is a failure.

Originally referred to being infested with lice, a common problem for soldiers in the trenches due to the unsanitary conditions.

Today, it is used to describe something that is of poor quality, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory.

A British term that originally referred to England or Britain itself, often used by soldiers longing for home.

"A Blighty wound" was a wound serious enough to require the soldier to be sent back to Britain, away from the front lines.

While the term is not as commonly used today outside of historical discussions, it remains a part of the lexicon of the period.

Used to refer to high-ranking officers, derived from the gold or brass insignia worn on their hats.

The term "brass" is still used in a military context to refer to high-ranking officials or the military establishment more broadly.

Originating from the German word "strafen," meaning to punish, the term was popularized by the Germans' slogan "Gott strafe England" (God punish England).

In English, it came to mean an attack by gunfire or bombing, especially from a low-flying aircraft.

Now, it can refer to a severe reprimand or criticism.

Derived from the French "esquiver," meaning to slink away, it was used among soldiers to describe avoiding duties or work.

In contemporary British English, "to skive" still means to evade work or responsibilities, often by calling in sick.

While it is interesting to learn about the development of these terms and their meaning in the context of the war, how did the words become adopted in general society?

Well, as soldiers returned from the fronts, they carried with them both the scars of battle and the language that had been a source of camaraderie and humor.

As a result, families, friends, and communities, who were eager to understand the experiences of their returning loved ones, learnt to adopt this slang, making it a part of their own lexicon.

The process was a natural consequence of trying to bridge the gap between those who had experienced the front lines and those who had lived through the war from afar.

Eventually, newspapers, popular literature, and later, films about the war, helped in disseminating WWI slang to a much wider audience.

In particular, authors like Ernest Hemingway and Erich Maria Remarque used their firsthand experiences to infuse their creative works with the authentic language of the trenches.

This exposure helped cement these terms in the public consciousness. It elevated them from transient wartime jargon to permanent fixtures of the English language.

Finally, the use of these unique words in memorials and in the teaching of history in schools aided in the preservation the linguistic heritage of the war.

The terms that were originally coined to describe specific wartime experiences have now evolved into powerful metaphors for understanding aspects of modern life.

By incorporating these terms into our daily discussion, society acknowledges, in a unique way, the significance of the war and its lasting influence on the generations that came after it.