Are You Familiar with the Word "Fungible"?

[Mirhanda]

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading a thread on another part of the internet and a poster was knocking some guy who used the word "fungible" by saying "that's not even a word!!!1eleven!1" Someone corrected her and explained that fungible was indeed a word. I commented that I didn't even thing the word was that unusual. I admit I sometimes read the dictionary for fun and maybe my vocabulary is larger than a typical person, but I still don't think "fungible" is a word that's way out there.

Then, several people jumped into the thread to say that yes, fungible is such a weird word that they can't imagine anyone would know it who isn't a banker or an economist or something. I disagree because I only had one semester of economics in high school and one quarter of it in college (my college was on a quarter system rather than a semester system) so my knowledge of economics isn't that great, but yet I'm still familiar with the word.

So I ask you Raffers, is fungible such a weird word that you've never heard of it and you can't imagine anyone without specialized knowledge in economics or business would know it? Or is it a word that one would reasonably be expected to understand by sometime in adulthood?

[severe delays]

I've read about it in the past in various places and checked out the meaning. And always promptly forgotten it. Somebody mentioned it on the dope a few weeks back and I had to look it up again. I think it's because it's a word that is only used in highly specific circumstances. I've never heard it used in conversation, news media or even academic papers. I'm not lacking for either education or vocabulary, it's just a little-used word and I wouldn't expect Joe Bloggs to understand what it means.

[nonny too]

I'm familiar with the word, but it's one of those words which makes me think that the speaker is a pretentious wanker when it's used (usually incorrectly) in general conversation. I'm one of those people who hates the bleed-through of corporate-speak and industry jargon into everyday conversation anyway, though.

[Mako]

Simple answer - yes, it is a real word, and I've heard it before.

I don't know the context it was used in, but 20 years ago, we used it to mean a variable.

[Sybarite]

I am familiar with the word, but it's odd enough that I'm not entirely sure what it means, and I wouldn't use it in casual conversation even if I did. I've been filtering my vocabulary for my audience a long time now; this would just be part of that.

You guys should be honoured; I don't filter my vocabulary for youse guys at all.

[3acres]

Yeah, I've know what it was since 1979, when Wayne Cryts made his infamous soybean raid. I asked Dad to clarify why his actions were illegal, and the fungibility of soybeans arose as part of the explanation. Hey looky here, old Wayne has a website!!

[Uthrecht]

I'm familiar with it, but have a tendency to mistake it for frangible on the first read. Makes me wonder about the nature of the assets.

I would not expect it to be a general-knowledge word, however.

[Pure]

I know that word and am familiar with it. But since I teach microbiology (including fungi), I usually read it as fungicide or something to do with fungi!

[WednesdayAddams]

Yep. Have heard it used in conversation. I think it's kind of a cool little word; means nothing like what it sounds like (mushroomy)

[Doyle]

I know it now and will attempt to use it in conversation. I find that if I do this, I have a better chance of remembering it.

[Elyanna]

Fungible is one of those words where I've heard it and I recognize it as a word, and I can kind of grok its meaning from context, but I don't actually know what it means

[Fish]

Yes, I'm familiar with the word, but as I understand its definition, it has a narrow application only to economics and trade. I wouldn't expect most people to recognize it, much less be able to define it. Economics is, after all, the dismal science.

[SmartAleq]

I know of it, know what it means, but don't use it myself because it's one of those words that loses all meaning really quickly if you hear or read it too many times. Plus, the "whuh?" factor is high and I get tired of defending my own sesquipedalianism.

[Solfy]

When I hear the word "fungible" I think "employees are. . . "

[Lo-Slung Denim]

I've never heard of it, and I think it sounds funny. Reminds me of fungus, giblets, etc. I don't understand what it means but I can't take it seriously as a word so it doesn't matter!

[WednesdayAddams]

It means 'easily replaceable.' (and I have the same problem.)

[severe delays]

Originally Posted by WednesdayAddams

Yep. Have heard it used in conversation. I think it's kind of a cool little word; means nothing like what it sounds like (mushroomy)

It could do if you were at a shitake swap meet.

[Lo-Slung Denim]

So the next time I do a 'stock rotation' and eat someone else's cheese from the fridge, I can say "Relax, it's bloody fungible! I'll go to the shop tomorrow!"

[bufftabby]

It's one of my top 3 favorite words/concepts.

[Pansy]

I'm familiar with the word and it's meaning, but only because, once upon a time, I had a boss who used it incorrectly and often.

His second most favorite word was "numerous", which he spelled "numberous."

[blank]

I'm aware of the word- but I'm also aware its not in common usage.

[Islander]

I know it only because I listened to too much public radio depressionrecession skyisfalling creditdefaultswaps gloom&doom LehmanBrothers blahblahblickettyblah Marketplace-type analyses. I don't think I'd ever use it in conversation. People I know don't none a them talk like that.

[Zombies!]

I'm aware that it is a word, and like Ely I recognise it and can grok from context, but it's not one I know and use regularly.

However, not being familiar with the word, IMHO is not an excuse for completely being unaware of its existence to the point where you deny it's a real word. At least hit dictionary.com before you try to pull that one out.

[Anacanapuna]

It's in the Oxford English Dictionary, so it's a real word. Only real words get in the OED. It first appeared in 1765.

No shit.

[Taur]

I've heard it before, didn't grok it from the context, and promptly forgot about looking it up. I am stunned it's been around since 1765.

[dogbutler]

I know what it means, but my favorite program as a child was Wall Street week with Louis Rukeyser.

[Azhure]

I don't think I've heard it before, when I read the thread title I thought it would be about a word someone had made up...

But I haven't done any business studies so that may be why I haven't heard it

[takowasakun]

I know the word and I know what it means, but I never use it, one, because I think it is a douchey-sounding kind of word but also because, like Uthrecht, I tend to confuse it with frangible. Better to just avoid both.

[pbbth]

It is a perfectly cromulent word.

[Erasmus Darwin]

I think I first heard about it in the context of lottery funds being used solely to pay for education. Since money's fungible, it's easy enough for them to effectively use lottery funds for other ventures by redistributing the non-lottery funds that would have gone to education.

Anyway, I think the word's just fine. And anyone whose first reaction to a strange word is that it must not be a real word is too dumb to realize how dumb they are. Me, I may be dumb, but I'm at least smart enough to realize I'm dumb.

[The Futility of Nihilism]

I just like how it sounds. "Fungible."

Fungible, fungible, fungible.

As in, my meager contribution to this thread is quite fungible.

[Lungfish]

Never heard of "fungible" until I opened thread. I also never heard of the word "autumnal" until BBC Weather Presenters started using it in every report I watched for the last few months.

[Khampelf]

I've heard it before in the context of life insurance. Meant you could borrow against the value of the policy. But when you say that's what you like best about the policy, they withdraw the offer.

[Mirhanda]

Thanks guys! I'm glad I'm not the only one who has ever heard of this word. I was being made to feel like some kind of freak for being somewhat familiar with the word. It's not a word I have ever used in conversation, but I know it exists. I just didn't like having people tell me I must be some kind of banker or econ freak to know this word! I've never been in finance and only had the two classes in economics anyway. (And I squeaked by with a D in the college one! The prof was a very elderly man who spoke in a soft quiet monotone at 8 a.m. I didn't learn very much from him. That was a dreadful course, I should've dropped it.)

[Fenris]

Yup. Heard it it before and it's the best way to explain how United Way's "directed charity money" is a scam

[Islander]

Originally Posted by Lungfish

I also never heard of the word "autumnal" until BBC Weather Presenters started using it in every report I watched for the last few months.

You need to read more Edgar Allen Poe-try.