Re: Grew up unceremoniously

Posted by ESC on July 25, 2007

In Reply to: Re: Grew up unceremoniously posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 24, 2007

: : : What is the meaning of 'grew up unceremoniously'?

: : I believe it means without frills, luxuries. No band camp for this child. Anyone else know for sure?

: "Unceremonious" means "without courtesies or niceties". E.g. if somebody shakes you awake shouting "Oi! You! Wake up!" that's an "unceremonious awakening". You can't "grow up unceremoniously" - that's not good English. But if your parents drop dead, their creditors seize your family home and you have to start work in a bottle-washing factory at the age of 12, you might say that your childhood was "unceremoniously cut short". (VSD)

Or (in the U.S.) "I wasn't raised up. I was yanked up."