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From ‘acoustic guitar’ to ‘landline phone’: 18 retronyms that reveal how English evolves across eras

The term “retronym” first appeared in 1980.

By

Emily Shiffer

retronym, retronyms, retronym words, landline phone, acoustic guitar,
Photo credit: Canva – A landline phone and an acoustic guitar are examples of retronyms.

As the world evolves, so does the English language, which has nearly one million words, per Merriam-Webster.

And they are being added all the time. (Although some words nearly go extinct.)

From newly formed generational slang words created by Gen Z and Gen Alpha to technology that continues to change the world and the objects in it, there is a term that allows English to “keep up with the times”: retronyms.

What is a retronym?

Retronyms are a relatively new vocabulary term. The word was first used in 1980, according to Merriam-Webster. It was coined by writer William Safire, who used “retronym” for the first time in his “On Language” column in The New York Times about Frank Mankiewicz, then the president of National Public Radio.

According to Merriam-Webster, a retronym is defined as “a term (such as analog watch, film camera, or snail mail) that is newly created and adopted to distinguish the original or older version, form, or example of something (such as a product) from other, more recent versions, forms, or examples.”

Cameras are a great example of retronyms in use.

“Remember way back when cameras used film? Back then, such devices were simply called cameras; they weren’t specifically called film cameras until they needed to be distinguished from the digital cameras that came later,” Merriam-Webster added.

How retronyms are formed

Linguist Adam Aleksic broke down how retronyms are created in a helpful video.

“A retronym is a new name given to an old thing to help differentiate it from a recent invention,” he said. “Like the way we use ‘acoustic’ guitar to differentiate from ‘electric’ guitar, even though ‘acoustic’ guitars use to just be ‘guitars’ because there were no ‘electric’ guitars.”

He offers a few more examples:

“Or when you have to say ‘analog’ watch to specify that what used to actually just be a regular watch is not in fact digital. That’s why ‘World War I’ is no longer ‘The Great War.’ We had to make a retronym for it once we had a second Great War. If you put ‘whole milk’ in ‘regular coffee,’ those are both retronyms because we’ve since invented things like ‘almond milk’ and ‘decaf coffee.’”

Aleksic explains that geography also has retronyms:

“The ‘East Indies’ used to just be the ‘Indies’ until Columbus rediscovered the ‘West Indies.’ And ‘Baja California’ used to just be ‘California’ until the Spaniards sailed a little further north and named what we now think of as ‘California.’ The ‘Continental U.S.’ was just the ‘U.S.’ until we added a few states.”

Finally, he explains another type of retronym: one that is a reduplication of an original word.

“If I want the ‘regular salad’ and not the ‘tuna salad,’ I can ask you to pass the ‘salad salad’ and you’ll know what I mean,” he said.

@jesszafarris

On retronyms! #etymology #wordplay #wordorigins #history #educationtiktok #technology #english #language ♬ original sound – Jess Zafarris | Author

Examples of retronyms

The words below are a helpful list of retronyms:

  • British English (distinguished from American English, Australian English, Indian English, etc.)
  • Outdoor rock climbing (distinguished from indoor rock climbing)
  • Acoustic guitar (distinguished from electric guitar)
  • Cloth diaper (distinguished from paper diapers and disposable diapers)
  • Manual typewriter (distinguished from electric typewriter)
  • Scripted show (distinguished from reality show)
  • Rotary phone (distinguished from touch-tone phones and landline phones)
  • Combustible cigarette (distinguished from electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, etc.)
  • Whole milk (distinguished from skim milk, 2% milk, etc.)
  • Corn on the cob (distinguished from corn cut off the cob)
  • Live music (distinguished from recorded music)
  • Silent film (distinguished from sound films and talkies)
  • Brick-and-mortar store (distinguished from online stores)
  • Bar soap (distinguished from liquid soap and body wash)
  • Old World (distinguished from New World)
  • Analog watch (distinguished from digital watch)
  • Film camera (distinguished from digital cameras, instant cameras, etc.)
  • Snail mail (distinguished from email, etc.)

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    Anna Papalia, a career coach, says the gap-in-resume question is usually asked for a different reason than most interviewees think.

    @anna..papalia

    ⬇️ Employers do—and should—care about large gaps in employment. Since they invest major time and resources in screening, onboarding, and training new employees, companies must be selective about who they hire. 📄A resume gap could signal you had trouble finding a new job after a job loss, or that you have difficulty making a commitment. They may wonder what you were doing while unemployed and whether you’re trying to hide something. If you have gaps in your resume, hiring managers want to know the “why” behind that period of unemployment. 🚨More importantly, they want to be sure your absence from the workforce doesn’t imply behavioral patterns or attitudes that might make you a risky hire.   🧐What is considered a big gap in employment? According to Indeed.com, any break over six months is considered significant.   ➡️How to answer “Why is there a gap on your resume?”     🔵 Be honest. It can be tempting to conceal gaps in your work history when you’re trying to present yourself in the best light possible to employers. But lying on your resume is never a good idea. Since they review so many of them, hiring managers are skilled at spotting inconsistencies and other red flags on resumes. Most verify work history and may even perform background checks. If you’re untruthful about employment dates, it’s likely you’ll be found out eventually—and you could even lose your job over it. Honesty is always the best option.     🔵 Explain employment gaps in your cover letter. In general, there’s no dedicated place on your resume to detail the reasons you were out of work for an extended period. This is where your cover letter comes in handy. Address resume gaps proactively by calling them out in your cover letter. Summarize the reasons for your hiatus—one or two straightforward sentences will do. Don’t get too wordy, since you want to keep the focus on your relevant experience and attributes and why you’re the right choice for the job. extra hard to illustrate the value you bring to a potential employer.     🔵 Highlight what you did accomplish while out of work. You may have been out of the workforce for a bit—but that doesn’t mean you sat around twiddling your thumbs. If you took on any unpaid roles or noteworthy projects during that period, be sure to say so on your resume. This shows you stayed active and engaged even though you weren’t formally in the workplace. Volunteer or caregiver roles should be listed on your resume just like a paying job. Any degrees completed or courses taken can be noted in the Education section of your resume. 📌For example:     ◦    You volunteered for your community food bank.     ◦    You went back to finish your degree.     ◦    You brushed up on your technology skills by taking a course.     ◦    You were the sole caregiver to an ailing family member.     ◦    You pursued a side project important to you.     ◦    You traveled extensively and explored new cultures.     •     🎯Consider any transferable skills or perspectives you gained and how they make you a stronger candidate for the job. For instance, maybe you came up with a successful fundraising idea for a charity you volunteer for. Or you managed the event committee at your church and gained valuable leadership skills. Don’t hesitate to think outside of the box! #interview #howtoanswerinterviewquestions #resume #jobsearch #careertips #unemployed

    ♬ original sound – Anna Papalia

    In a TikTok video, Papalia explains that hiring managers are primarily asking this question to weed out candidates who don’t need a job.

    “I know it sounds ridiculous, but they want to verify that you’re not just quitting every time you get frustrated,” she says.

    Papalia says the interviewer wants to make sure the person wouldn’t just leave the job because they have a trust fund or a wealthy family member to fall back on. It’s to ensure the interviewee wants or needs the job, so they can say, “Great! We need a reliable person who needs a job, so this works out.”

    Gaps in a person’s resume and career have become more common. It’s very likely that the interviewer has spoken with several candidates who have career gaps. They may have had one or two gaps on their own resume as well. So the stigma of having a gap in a resume is less of a red flag than in previous years.

    How to answer “Can you explain this gap in your resume?”

    While the insight Papalia provides may calm some fears, many may still wonder how to answer the resume gap question. Having an answer prepared ahead of time is still recommended. There are many reasons for gaps in a resume, but there are also some guidelines career experts recommend.

    Keep it short and honest

    No matter the reason for a gap in your resume, it’s better for both the interviewer and the job seeker not to dwell on it. For one, the interviewer doesn’t want or need your life story, and a detailed answer could be too personal. Secondly, the interviewee wouldn’t want to waste the limited time in the interview instead of focusing on what they can bring to the role, the job description, and the company environment.

    Give a brief explanation—one or two sentences that get to the point. The best answers don’t go into unnecessary detail or leave room for second-guessing. Here are some common reasons for career gaps and stronger ways to respond:

    • Don’t: “I was laid off because…”
    • Do: “Unfortunately, I was affected by the company’s restructuring, and my role was eliminated.”
    • Don’t: “I wasn’t working because I was a full-time parent/caregiver and now I need a job.”
    • Do: “I took time away from my career to care for my young children/family member.”
    • Don’t: “I was fired but it wasn’t my fault because…” 
    • Do: “I learned a lot in my last role, but it turned out to be challenging in unique ways and it wasn’t a good fit. While it didn’t work out, it was a good experience and taught me to be careful of the next role I accept.”

    There may be different reasons, but overall, the advice is to keep it brief, impersonal, and focused on the positives.

    Redirect the conversation to what you can offer

    Another reason to keep your explanation short is to allow you to shift the focus from what happened then to what you can offer now. After your one- to two-sentence answer, spend most of your time discussing why you’re excited about the role you’re interviewing for. If it applies, share any relevant classes or certifications you acquired during your time away from full-time employment.

    If you did any freelance or volunteer work during that time away, bring it up. It shows the interviewer you’ve been proactive and preparing for a full-time position rather than sitting around. It can be especially helpful if the work is relevant to the role.

    Redirecting the focus to the job itself shifts the conversation back to the role rather than why you didn’t have one.

    Remove the gap in the first place

    Another way to answer, “Can you explain this gap in your resume?” is to remove the question entirely. Simply include a section explaining why you weren’t working during that time frame. Much like with a verbal answer, it can be brief and avoid personal details.

    “Family care leave” is a valid answer. It can apply to childcare, caring for a sick loved one, or even yourself. Just be sure to make it clear that you’re ready and motivated to get back to full-time work.

    @greglangstaff

    Even if you were taking care of yourself… you’re a part of your family so it’s still family care leave. Also, sharing our own health issues or other challenges can activate biases in the hiring managers. We do not need to share details. ANOTHER IMPORTANT TIP: you don’t need to explain every gap. I usually say that if it’s more than a year ago or less than a year, just leave it be. #resume #cv #career #jobsearch #learnontiktok #greenscreen

    ♬ original sound – Greg L. – Career Coach 🤓

    Gaps in employment that are under six months usually don’t require an explanation. That said, you should still have an answer prepared if your resume includes multiple short gaps.

    Eliminating those gaps preempts the question, and most interviewers will respect your privacy. It also reinforces that you’re proactive and intentional in your job search.

    Those searching for work should mind the gaps, but there’s little reason to feel too tripped up about them. 

    Keep Reading →
  • 3 conversation hacks to avoid the awkwardness of having nothing to say
    Photo credit: Canva – Awkward lulls happen, but there are ways to minimize them.
    ,

    3 conversation hacks to avoid the awkwardness of having nothing to say

    “Good conversations aren’t about charm or confidence.”

    Annie Reneau

    Unless you are a particularly skilled conversationalist, chances are you’ve experienced a dreaded awkward lull when talking to someone. What do you do when a conversation comes to a grinding halt because you’ve run out of things to say and are blanking on a new topic?

    For folks who struggle with social anxiety, an awkward silence in a conversation rings like a death knell. Strategies for avoiding those moments feel like both cheat codes and life preservers, which is why people are loving the three tips for never running out of things to say shared by Smartish Stuff.

    “Being good at conversations isn’t about being confident,” the video states. “It’s about skill. And like any other skill, from playing an instrument to writing well, it can be learned.”

    Here are three things to do when you don’t know what to say:

    1. Ask intentional questions

    At their core, conversations are a back-and-forth of questions and answers and related statements. Mastering the questions part gives you a lot more control over how the conversation goes.

    The example given in the video is someone saying, “I went golfing over the weekend.” How do you respond?

    You might say, “Oh, that’s cool.” But that’s where the conversation dies.

    Instead, you can ask questions like, “Where do you usually play?” or “How long have you been playing? Do you play competitively?”

    “Even if you don’t care about golf, this shows genuine interest or at least creates the feeling of interest,” the video points out. “It also keeps the conversation alive and gives you control to guide it wherever you want.”

    2. Listen more than you speak

    It might seem logical that talking more will make you a better talker. But in reality, the best conversationalists are skilled listeners.

    “Not the fake kind of listening where you’re just waiting for your turn to talk, but active listening,” the video says. “That means paying full attention, not preparing your next line in your head. Because when you do that, you often miss the point completely and end up saying something random or off topic.”

    Saying something random because you weren’t really listening is just as mortifying as awkward silence, so active listening is an important skill to master. It also ties into the asking intentional questions tip. As the video states:

    “Active listening gives you real material to work with. You’ll pick up details, emotions, or small clues that lead to better follow-up questions. That’s how you keep the flow going, not through clever lines, but through genuine attention. There’s a quote that sums this up perfectly. Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply. Don’t be that person. The world has enough of them already.”

    Easier said than done when you’re stressed about what to say, but just remember that keeping the focus on really listening will actually give you more to talk about.

    talking, chatting, active listening
    Active listening means not trying to think of what you’re going to say next. Photo credit: Canva

    3. Find common ground

    Sharing interests, experiences, values, tastes in music or food, etc. can help us connect with people quickly. But how do we determine what we might have in common with a person we’re just striking up a conversation with?

    The answer to that question will depend on the specific conversation, of course. But employing the first two tips will usually lead you to some kind of common ground.

    “Once you find that shared point, steer the conversation there,” the video suggests. “Suddenly, it stops feeling like effort. It becomes natural, fluid, and even fun.”

    Will that happen every time? No. And that’s where a bonus tip comes into play: Accept that awkward lulls happen.

    “Let’s be honest. Not every conversation will flow perfectly,” the video states. “Some will still hit dead ends. There will be awkward pauses and silent moments. That’s okay. Silence isn’t failure. It’s just space. Learn to be comfortable with it and it’ll stop feeling like pressure.”

    The goal is not to convince people you’re interesting

    The Smartish Stuff video wraps up with some wise words about what makes a good conversation:

    “The truth is, good conversations aren’t about charm or confidence. They’re about curiosity, patience, and presence. If you apply these three methods, asking intentional questions, listening actively, and finding common ground, you’ll never truly run out of things to say. And over time, you’ll realize the goal isn’t to be interesting. It’s to be genuinely interested.”

    People with social anxiety may still be left with questions, such as “How do I think of follow-up questions when my anxiety makes my mind go blank? How do I listen when I have loud, anxious thoughts blaring through my head? What if I can’t find common ground no matter how many questions I ask and how well I actively listen?”

    Anxiety loves to come up with worst-case scenarios and imagine all of the ways something won’t work. And for people with severe social anxiety who need professional help to manage it, these tips may not be enough. But they are still worth working on, as they can help build the foundation that good conversations are based on.

    For further help, talking with a therapist, doctor, or trusted friend could lower the volume on anxious thoughts.

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