Let’s be Minnesota Nice everybody. Because it’s nice to be nice to the nice, especially in Nice.
Once I learned the etymology of the word “nice”, I mostly try to avoid using it to describe people (unless it really suits them - see below). Instead, I will substitute it with something more apropos to the need, such as “pleasant” or “kind”.
From etymonline.com:
nice (adj.)
late 13c., “foolish, ignorant, frivolous, senseless,” from Old French nice (12c.) “careless, clumsy; weak; poor, needy; simple, stupid, silly, foolish,” from Latin nescius “ignorant, unaware,” literally “not-knowing,” from ne- “not” (from PIE root *ne- “not”) + stem of scire “to know” (see science). “The sense development has been extraordinary, even for an adj.” [Weekley] — from “timid, faint-hearted” (pre-1300); to “fussy, fastidious” (late 14c.); to “dainty, delicate” (c. 1400); to “precise, careful” (1500s, preserved in such terms as a nice distinction and nice and early); to “agreeable, delightful” (1769); to “kind, thoughtful” (1830).
Original of the word ‘nice’....
That was cool! Gives awesome weaponizing potential to “how nice’ said in a slightly sarcastic tone. Karen, you listening??