Language versus language

14 Replies

This is another Blast From My Past. I posted this in 2013

 

 

When we speak to each other it is our fervent hope that we will be understood. There are language barriers and cultural barriers and even economical barriers but for the most part we do understand each other. Unfortunately there is another barrier that is not as easily surmounted: the generational barrier.

Today’s generation speaks digitally. They form whole conversations in 140 characters. That’s characters not words. Language is a signpost for our culture and as such it must constantly be evolving. I’m quite happy not to be using words like ‘thou’ and ‘yea’ in my everyday conversations. And I absolutely understand the need for brevity. But perhaps I have passed over the invisible barrier that separates ‘them’ from ‘us’. I need more than 140 characters to convey, well, anything! I don’t LOL. I actually use whole words when I laugh out loud! I know, I know, I sound like my parents did when we used words like ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ to describe everything. I heard someone the other day using the word ‘cool’ and I looked to see if it was someone over 50. It wasn’t! The word may be making a comeback. That would be so cool!

Everything affects language. Music, fashion, technology and even travel will affect our speech. The more our disparate countries interact with one another the more cross-pollination of words seems to happen. The English language is the one I know best, it’s the only one I know well. But I also realize that the English language is not a pure language. It is made up of words from other cultures through colonization and trade. Words that we are convinced are English words actually have an origin in other languages. The word bungalow comes from India. The word assassin is an Arabic word. The word robot is of Czech origin. Status quo is Latin. The list is seemingly endless.

As a species we need to evolve. We once wallowed in the primordial sludge shortly after the Big Bang and now we are testing our wings in space. The human race has spawned magnificence in the art world, in technology and in the written word regardless of what language it is written in. We all belong to one race: the human race and I happen to think we are pretty incredible! Sometimes when I listen to modern music I wonder if the concept of de-evolution is alive and well! But in truth it is simply evolution at work. You always have to shake a little bit to get rid of the useless bits.

 

Tomorrow will be the today we dreamt about yesterday!

                                                                       

14 thoughts on “Language versus language”

  1. Dan Antion

    Thanks for bringing this one back, Pam. I do find the 140 character limit on twitter to be a challenge, but I like the platform, do I try to make it work.

    On the other hand, your Quips are excellent !!

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. scifihammy

    A nice essay on the evolution of language. 🙂
    As to the 140 characters . . . I became a master at using exactly 140 to send a text. More than that would cost another sms, and since I paid for one, I wanted to get my money’s worth! (Yeah, cheapskate I know! 😀 )

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. blondieaka

    Tsk 140 characters…I am with you…..all this text speak…I know language has to change and evolve and that’s cool….lol…I hope that word is making a comeback….a good post to bring back as a reminder for us all 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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