The Inner Monologue

Oh, wow. You’re still fascinated by the fact that we say “dial a phone” even though nobody under 50 has touched a rotary dial? Incredible. Groundbreaking. Truly, no one has ever pointed this out before—certainly not every single pop culture YouTuber, listicle writer, or that one uncle who won’t shut up about “back in my day.”

But fine. Since we’re all apparently contractually obligated to rehash this topic every six months, let’s trudge through the utterly shocking world of words we still use despite their origins being deader than Blockbuster.

“Wait… We Say ‘Hang Up’ the Phone? But My iPhone Doesn’t Even Have a Hook!”

Yes, genius. “Hang up” comes from when phones were physical objects you could gasp slam down dramatically during fights. Now, you just angrily tap a red icon like a peasant, but sure, keep saying “hang up” like it makes sense. Next you’ll tell me “rewind” is confusing because you’ve never seen a VHS tape. Oh wait—you already have.

“OMG ‘Tape a Show’??? But We Stream Now!!!”

Astute observation, Sherlock. Yes, “tape” comes from VHS, a technology that, much like your attention span, required patience and occasionally eating static for 10 minutes. But hey, language doesn’t care about your fancy “cloud DVR.” We’re still taping things like it’s 1987, and honestly? That’s the most commitment to tradition millennials have shown in years.

“You Mean ‘Dashboard’ Comes From Horse Carriages??”

Yes, Karen. Before cars, a “dashboard” was literally a board that kept horse poop (the “dash”) from hitting you in the face. Now it’s where you ignore GPS directions and cry about gas prices. Progress!

“LOL ‘Carbon Copy’ in Emails??? Was This Made By Boomers??”

Wow, you cracked the code! Yes, “CC” comes from carbon paper, a magical invention that allowed people to make copies without hitting “Reply All” and ruining everyone’s day. But sure, act like this is some mind-blowing trivia instead of the linguistic equivalent of finding a flip phone in your grandma’s junk drawer.

“Wait… ‘Filming’ a Movie? But They Use Digital Cameras!!!”

Stop the presses! Hollywood lied to us! Next you’ll tell me that “cut” doesn’t involve actual scissors and “post-production” isn’t about stapling film reels together. The betrayal!

Why Are We Still Talking About This?

Because apparently, we all need a gentle reminder that language is a messy, lazy beast that refuses to update itself, much like your uncle still calling every game console “a Nintendo.” These phrases stick around because:

1. Nobody cares enough to change them. (See also: the imperial system.)
2. They’re shorter than saying, “digitally archive this content for later viewing.”
3. Boomers won’t let go of anything, including their grip on colloquial speech.

So congratulations! You now know something every BuzzFeed article since 2012 has covered. Go forth and impress your friends with this niche knowledge—or, more likely, watch their eyes glaze over as they silently regret asking you about “fun facts.”

But hey, at least you didn’t say “videotape” unironically. Wait… did you? 😬