[Vocabulary] “wobby”，"bubbly"

[michael147]

He uses anecdotes from the main historic crises to explain financial jargon which is not only thick, but changes over time. Thus, the wobbly British “discount houses” of 1866 are replaced by bubbly American “trusts” in 1907.

Are there any special meanings for the words "wobbly" and "bubbly" in this context? Their general meanings seem to make no sense here and I cannot find any other meanings in the dictionary.

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[SlickVic9000]

(Not a Teacher)

Something that is wobbly, is unsteady, swaying from side to side, ready to collapse at any moment. Something that is bubbly is exuberant, full of life and energy.

 

[probus]

You have quoted The Economist of May 18, 2013. Given that and the context of the article, bubbly does have a special meaning here. It refers to the economic concept of a price bubble, which is a peak in prices due usually to speculation or unbridled enthusiasm in a market. An economic bubble is said to burst when eventually prices take a sharp drop.

 

[michael147]

You have quoted The Economist of May 18, 2013. Given that and the context of the article, bubbly does have a special meaning here. It refers to the economic concept of a price bubble, which is a peak in prices due usually to speculation or unbridled enthusiasm in a market. An economic bubble is said to burst when eventually prices take a sharp drop.

Let me put it this way. Do you agree that "bubbly" is a more explicit term to describe economic instability than "wobbly" because the writer is talking about financial jargon changing over time here?

 

[probus]

No I don't agree. The writer is indeed alluding to a case of financial jargon evolving over time, but that does not make one usage better or more explicit than the other. By the way, this usage of bubbly is a bit of novel coinage. I've never seen it before.

 

[Tdol]

I have- the Economist is a British publication, so it may be BrE.

 

[michael147]

No I don't agree. The writer is indeed alluding to a case of financial jargon evolving over time, but that does not make one usage better or more explicit than the other. By the way, this usage of bubbly is a bit of novel coinage. I've never seen it before.

I see your point. There is no connection between "bubbly" and "wobbly" and they are equal in terms of sentiment. Thank you.