High falutin

[Stormy]

I overheard a conversation between an elderly couple at breakfast.  They were gossiping about a “high falutin” woman.  I haven’t heard that phrase since childhood and I don’t think I’ve ever used the phrase to describe another person 

is this a description used by the over 80 crowd? 

[BtmBearDad]

Haven’t heard that word in ages! 😂 It brings me back to my grandparents’ generation. 

In my memory, it was a cutting remark, and women were always highfaluting or putting on airs; a man was either a scallywag or a bounder. 

[+ azdr0710]

[+ azdr0710]

20 minutes ago, BtmBearDad said:

a man was either a scallywag or a bounder. 

did look up scalawag/scallywag for clarification.....I'd forgotten this origin:

a white Southerner who collaborated with northern Republicans during Reconstruction, often for personal profit. The term was used derisively by white Southern Democrats who opposed Reconstruction legislation.

[BtmBearDad]

1 minute ago, azdr0710 said:

did look up scalawag/scallywag for clarification.....I'd forgotten this origin:

a white Southerner who collaborated with northern Republicans during Reconstruction, often for personal profit. The term was used derisively by white Southern Democrats who opposed Reconstruction legislation.

Interesting - I never knew it’s origin! The context matches how I recalled it being applied. I just assumed it was European in origin 🤷🏼‍♂️

[mike carey]

2 hours ago, BtmBearDad said:

Interesting - I never knew it’s origin! The context matches how I recalled it being applied. I just assumed it was European in origin 🤷🏼‍♂️

I couldn't find any etymological information about it or of the British usage meaning a rascal (the US usage is news to me), its origin is listed as unknown. It would surprise me if the word crossed the pond without taking a vestige of that meaning with it, so I suspect that it was an obscure word that separately developed its British and US usages.

[jeezifonly]

“High falutin” is a derogatory term usually applied to a writer or speaker, by people who don’t understand all the words used by the writer/speaker. “Unashamedly educated” is more accurate. 

[BtmBearDad]

@mike carey I suppose I assumed it was European in origin as the family member I recall using it, a great aunt, spent a good part of the teens, twenties, and early thirties of the last century in Europe. When she referred to a scallywag, it was definitely an insult directed at a man of no means/background  who was using his charm and other attributes to advance himself at the (usually) financial expense of women. Gosh! As I’m typing, I can hear her voice referring to one fellow who had married “above himself”, as they used to say, to a friend of hers, taken her for pretty penny, and moved on - “He was no gentlemen! He was a scallywag, and a bounder! Poor Millicent!” 🤣

[+ WilliamM]

9 minutes ago, jeezifonly said:

“High falutin” is a derogatory term usually applied to a writer or speaker, by people who don’t understand all the words used by the writer/speaker. “Unashamedly educated” is more accurate. 

It could be applied to folks who go to Operas, read Proust or vacation in Stockholm or Monaco

[+ poolboy48220]

to take the opposite view - I consider people who say "utilize" when they really just mean "use" to be high falutin. 😄 

[Marc in Calif]

Here's an extremely high falutin look at possible etymologies. A very enjoyable read by a quintessential pedant!

https://blog.oup.com/2010/12/highfalutin/

[samhexum]

[Guest]

[+ Charlie]

My parents used "high fallutin" to describe someone who was "putting on airs."

[MikeBiDude]

46 minutes ago, Charlie said:

My parents used "high fallutin" to describe someone who was "putting on airs."

This is my experience with the term as well.

[Rudynate]

6 minutes ago, MikeBiDude said:

This is my experience with the term as well.

I don't think I have ever heard a real person say "high fallutin" - just in movies and TV.  I think I can remember one time hearing "putting on airs."  It was said by the cleaning lady in an apartment building where I lived in Denver, a LOT of years ago.  She grew up on a farm in Southern Indiana. 

[Guest]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:09 AM, Stormy said:

...

is this a description used by the over 80 crowd? 

I think it may be a description used more by a red-neck. I can't imagine my 92 year-old step-mother every saying "high-fallutin'." But I can imagine a hillbilly using that term to describe, for example, the language of a sophisticated city-slicker.

"Why y'all usin' that high-falutin' language round these parts?"

Edited February 28, 2023 by Unicorn

[Marc in Calif]

From The Music Man:

(Mrs. Paroo) "When a woman's got a husband, and you've got none, why should she take advice from you? Even if you can quote Balzac and Shakespeare and all them other high-falutin' Greeks."

[+ Autumnal]

I remember hearing high-falutin' (not quite 80 yet!) and my understanding was that it described someone who put on airs, or presented themselves as better than others - especially when they were not. As an example - "She thinks she's so high-falutin' but she's no better than the rest of us".