Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Let me preface this by saying that I work in Lower Manhattan, where neighborhoods vary widely in close proximity.

This week I encountered a few retronyms that might be of interest.

First, there was a table set up close to the front of my office building. A group of fit young people were handing out information and offering a coupon for a free 30-minute "medical massage." I asked if I needed a prescription. They said no, that it was a "therapeutic massage." When all was said and done, I guess they were trying to distinguish their traditional massages from others they didn't offer.

Also this week, in an attempt to enjoy the unseasonably mild weather, I was doing quite a bit of walking around town. Instead of taking the subway, I walked through some unfamiliar neighborhoods. I walked past a store with an overhead sign that read "VIDEO STORE." A handwritten poster in the window clarified: "RELAX. This is a FAMILY video store." I didn't go in, but I don't think they carried only Pixar and Disney, that is, only "family" movies. Rather, I think they were again trying to distinguish their traditional video products from others they didn't offer.