BrE slang or informal term for "Listless", please?

[Mehrgan]

Hi all,

Could you please give me some informal/slang terms referring to a person who's unwilling to do anything that needs effort?

Would 'lackadaisical' be one of those words? (I've also heard 'lacksadaisical'!)

 

[5jj]

Could you please give me some informal/slang terms referring to a person who's unwilling to do anything that needs effort?

Would 'lackadaisical' be one of those words? (I've also heard 'lacksadaisical'!)

'Lackadaisical' (no s) implies a lack of care and attention as much as effort, so is not ideal for 'listless', which is more like 'sluggish', lethargic', 'lifeless'. I can't at the moment think of any particularly apt informal/slang expressions.

 

[Mehrgan]

'Lackadaisical' (no s) implies a lack of care and attention as much as effort, so is not ideal for 'listless', which is more like 'sluggish', lethargic', 'lifeless'. I can't at the moment think of any particularly apt informal/slang expressions.

Many thanks dear fivedjon. I seem to have a little bit problem differentiating between the two. Would you please kindly give me some situational examples?

(Is 'Lackadaisical' related to one's mood, and so temporary?)


Thannks.

 

[5jj]

Neither word is necessarily temporary.

1. Fred (a teacher) is fine once he gets into the classroom, but he is very lackadaisical with his paperwork. His files are always in a mess.

2. George is recovering from his loss, but he is still rather listless. I think it's going to be some time before he's back to his old lively self.

I feel that 'listless' does nor work in #1, and that 'lackadaisical' is totally wrong in #2.

However, I have been checking with various online dictionaries since I posted my first response, and none of them agrees with me. This may be just my own idiosyncratic idea. Let's see if other members have any thoughts on this.

 

[Raymott]

Hi all,

Could you please give me some informal/slang terms referring to a person who's unwilling to do anything that needs effort?

Would 'lackadaisical' be one of those words? (I've also heard 'lacksadaisical'!)

You used to be able to say 'fagged' or 'fagged out' for listless, but that's different from what you've actually asked.
This site has some alternatives.
fag out - definition of fag out by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

A person such as you describe is a 'bludger', or is simply lazy.
http://www.anu.edu.au/ANDC/ozwords/December%202001/Bludger.html

 

[freezeframe]

You used to be able to say 'fagged' or 'fagged out' for listless, but that's different from what you've actually asked.
This site has some alternatives.
fag out - definition of fag out by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

I strongly suggest NOT using this in North America or you'll come across as very offensive.

Could you please give me some informal/slang terms referring to a person who's unwilling to do anything that needs effort?

Lazy, bum, slacker, loafer...

 

[freezeframe]

Would 'lackadaisical' be one of those words?

In what part of the world would lackadaisical be slang?


Non sequitur: Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch "Upperclass Twit of the Year".

 

[BobK]

'Lackadaisical' (no s) implies a lack of care and attention as much as effort, so is not ideal for 'listless', which is more like 'sluggish', lethargic', 'lifeless'. I can't at the moment think of any particularly apt informal/slang expressions.

:up: The errant* s (sadly not uncommon) is presumably an attempt to impose on the word an unlikely etymology, based on 'lax'.

b

PS *The word 'errant' probably doesn't have the primary meaning I intended, but I've left it because it's quite appropriate anyway, in that the letter wanders in and out of the word. What I meant was 'erroneous' (which has the same Latin root - hence my slip )

 

[BobK]

PS The term 'lead-swinger' could be relevant in some contexts (though it means neither listless nor lackadaisical). A lead-swinger, originally was someone who - when people were volunteering for various nautical duties - opted to 'swing the lead'. This was an easy job, using a plumb-line with knots in it every 6 feet to measure the depth of the surrounding water - and if, for example, there was 12 feet of water he would call out 'mark twain'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain#Pen_names

Now, though, any shirker can be called a 'lead-swinger'.

b

 

[birdeen's call]

2. George is recovering from his loss, but he is still rather listless. I think it's going to be some time before he's back to his old lively self.

I feel [...] that 'lackadaisical' is totally wrong in #2.

Why is "lackadaisical" wrong?

 

[5jj]

Why is "lackadaisical" wrong?

By the definitions I gave in post #2, lackadaisical is wrong - for me. However, as I said in post #4, my definitions may not be acceptable to many people. I was hoping that some native speakers would comment on my definitions.

I say 'native speakers' because I think that this is a question of feeling for one's own language. I know that many dictionaries disagree with me.

ps. In my 'Reason for Editing (post #4) I think that 'listless' would be wrong.

 

[birdeen's call]

By the definitions I gave in post #2, lackadaisical is wrong - for me. However, as I said in post #4, my definitions may not be acceptable to many people. I was hoping that some native speakers would comment on my definitions.

I say 'native speakers' because I think that this is a question of feeling for one's own language. I know that many dictionaries disagree with me.

ps. In my 'Reason for Editing (post #4) I think that 'listless' would be wrong.

But can't George lack care and attention after a loss? Many people become indifferent to the world after losing something or someone they loved.

 

[5jj]

But can't George lack care and attention after a loss? Many people become indifferent to the world after losing something or someone they loved.

Yes, he can. It's just that in my understanding and use of the words, 'lackadaisical' has a suggestion of laziness or disorganisation, whilst 'listlessness' is possibly a result of some physical or emotional disturbance.

I note that Raymott did not mention 'lackadaisical' when he wrote, "You used to be able to say 'fagged' or 'fagged out' for listless". Apart from that, there has not been the slightest indication that anybody else agrees with me, so I have to conclude that I have imagined a difference which does not in fact exist.

 

[freezeframe]

Yes, he can. It's just that in my understanding and use of the words, 'lackadaisical' has a suggestion of laziness or disorganisation, whilst 'listlessness' is possibly a result of some physical or emotional disturbance.

I note that Raymott did not mention 'lackadaisical' when he wrote, "You used to be able to say 'fagged' or 'fagged out' for listless". Apart from that, there has not been the slightest indication that anybody else agrees with me, so I have to conclude that I have imagined a difference which does not in fact exist.

In principle I agree on not using it with your 2nd sentence: George is recovering from his loss, but he is still rather listless. It seems strange to me to put lackadaisical with recovering from a loss.

But, it's very hard to justify this or discuss this because lackadaisical is not a word any normal person would say, at least in my milieu. I don't think I've ever heard someone actually say this word in RL. And if they did, I'd think it was word-of-the-day on their calendar.

 

[5jj]

But, it's very hard to justify this or discuss this because lackadaisical is not a word any normal person would say, at least in my milieu.

I would certainly not claim that it's a word commonly used, but I hear/see, and use, it often enough to feel that I understood its nuances. I make no assertions about my own normality, but my colleagues who use it appear normal enough.

 

[freezeframe]

I would certainly not claim that it's a word commonly used, but I hear/see, and use, it often enough to feel that I understood its nuances. I make no assertions about my own normality, but my colleagues who use it appear normal enough.

Appearances can be deceiving.

 

[Tdol]

Lackadaisical carries a sense of unwillingness, lack of responsibility, so I wouldn't use it for grief.

(Sorry for unnecessary post- I hadn't seen the second page when I wrote it)

 

[5jj]

Lackadaisical carries a sense of unwillingness, lack of responsibility, so I wouldn't use it for grief.

(Sorry for unnecessary post- I hadn't seen the second page when I wrote it)

Don't apologise! Welcome - It seems I am not alone in my thoughts about this word.

 

[Raymott]

Lackadaisical carries a sense of unwillingness, lack of responsibility, so I wouldn't use it for grief.

(Sorry for unnecessary post- I hadn't seen the second page when I wrote it)

And you're not the first person who's posted what seemed like a novel and interesting opinion at the end of a thread before realising that there was a whole other page! ;-)