Making Use of "Cool" Yesterday as Well as Today
Even the dictionary may not include all of the possible meanings or pronunciations for a given term. Slang is a term for the informal language we use between ourselves. The words "cool" and "hip" both appear in Webster's Dictionary as synonyms meaning "quite nice, stylish, or hip." This term is considered slang and should not be used. The original term was derived from Greek and Latin origins. When I was growing up, the term "cold" meant anything that was the polar opposite of "hot." These days, "hot" and "cool" may refer to the same thing, depending on your perspective. So much misunderstanding.
The meaning of the word "cool" depends on the perspective of the speaker. Slang terms for the word are becoming commonplace. The right meaning is conveyed by both the slang and proper spellings. "Cool" is one of the many ways to say cool. If you don't know how to spell cool, try the word "kwel". If we wait another several years or decades, who knows what other varieties may emerge? Possibly, the term will be dropped completely.
A person's definition of "cool" is influenced by their own viewpoint. Everyone has a different perspective. A white fluffy fog drifted in the other day. Because she had to travel in the fog while it was still dark, my mother saw it as hazardous and frightening. As soon as I got a new computer, I believed it was the greatest invention in the history of mankind. My mum didn't like the computer since she had to learn a new operating system when she got a new computer. Because what one person finds amusing or amusing might be very stressful or bad for another, the paradox exists. As a child, I never imagined that one word could have such a profound impact on my life; yet, as I've matured, I've come to understand just how incorrect I was.
No matter how you spell it, the word "cool" conjures up a plethora of images in my imagination. One possibility is the most recent video game. Isn't it amazing? Some girls could think it's nice if a guy walks down the street in an Armani suit, or even in a pair of faded jeans. For some other kids, a snow day could be the best thing ever. Because they have two days off from work and their supervisors, those who work Monday through Friday like Fridays.
Then then, I could think it was too hot to go in the pool. A reporter for a local news station often remarks on how pleasant the autumn and spring seasons were. If a bear or a squirrel senses that the temperature is cooling, it may begin to stockpile food in anticipation of a long, cold winter.
Keeping one's calm under pressure is another way to describe someone. See that card shark, or the gunfighter who was so cool he didn't even break a sweat while fighting.
The term "cool" was used a lot in the 1960s, depending on the social status of the person. "Hey dude, that was nice," my mum told me, was the only other comment she made. At the time, they also used the term "groovy," but that's a different tale.
Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang explains that "cool" has a long history. This term has been used to describe anything other than cold since the 1880s. In the past, "cool" referred to a stoic demeanor, as in Don't lose your cool; keep "cool."' "Cool" was first used as a synonym for "urbane" or "sophisticated" in 1918. Shortly after the end of World War II, "superlative" came to denote "outstanding." "Cool" nowadays seems to signify all of the above, according to my investigation of the phrase. It's going to be fascinating to observe how this term evolves over the next 10 years.
