> > On Fri, Jan 06, 2023 at 01:26:54PM -0600, David Wright wrote: > > > Rather, > > > > > > coo² (slang) interjection, expressive of surprise. (Chambers) > > > > > > and this has been around far longer than my lifetime.
> > When using slang, the current meaning is the one that will be understood > > by your audience. Not some archaic meaning. > > Err, where did you get the idea that coo is archaic? The part where you said this particular usage is older than yourself. > We Brits use the word "Coo"; I guess the equivalent here is "Gee", > which sounds very American to British ears of my generation. Ahhh, it's a regional usage, then. My mistake. To an American audience, the meaning is quite different. We only use "coo" to describe the noise made by a dove, or as an (urban) slang term which is a shortened form of "cool". https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=coo A slightly shortened version of "cool" used by only the cooest people, coo is the best way to describe something that is completely awesome. And so on.
