English: “busted”, part0

Tutoring English, you’re bound to encounter hilarities connected with vocabulary. The tutor recalls one from his childhood.

In elementary school, my sister had more friends than I. Importantly, she attracted a greater variety of friends. With some of them she shared interests to which no-one else in our family could relate. They also introduced her to words.

One time, my sister (she might have been about seven) said someone’s ruler was “busted,” meaning broken. No-one else in our family used the word “busted:” the term must’ve come from one of her friends. My mother, being somewhat of a language policeman, said,

“You can’t have a busted ruler. Bust is slang for burst. So a balloon can bust, but not a ruler.”

My sister, for reasons I can’t divine, asked an inspired question:

“Well what about the thing that busts the balloon, then? What do you call it?”

“A balloon buster,” my mother announced.

My sister and I both pitched forward – I think I ended up rolling on the floor with laughter.

“What’s so funny?” my mother asked, half-laughing at the reaction her announcement had caused.

“Who heard of a balloon buster?” I asked. “Is that some kind of machine, just for bursting balloons?” Even then, “bust” just didn’t sound right to me; rather, “burst” sounded correct.

The conversation descended into hilarity. My mother, sister, and I — we had some good times together. That day was one of them. I still laugh, thinking about it.

Source:

Mish, Frederick C (editor). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.