Language, as we’ve seen throughout history, is constantly evolving in its phrases, slang, and even expletives.
There are some dramatic examples of this. For instance, the word “nice” is derived from Latin nescius (“not knowing”), which meant foolish or ignorant back in the 1300s. And on the other hand, “awful” used to mean “full of awe!”
Yet, I often wonder if our modern trends in speech and writing reflect a linguistic laziness rather than an organic progression. Does this morphing of the written and spoken word really matter or is it simply just a harmless change in our social fabric?
I’m not referring to the shorthand acronyms that have infected our texts and emails like TMI (too much information) or TBH (to be honest), although those are pretty annoying TBH.
But what I’m really talking about is the increasingly lackluster execution in communicating our authentic thoughts through language. We’ve reached the point, where I now believe that the discrepancy in how we communicate with each other could eventually eat away at real human connection.
For example, when I was a teacher more than 20 years ago, I would tell my students “don’t forget about ol’ Babs.” Meaning, pronounce the “Bab” in “probably.” Now, of course, that word spoken from every kid I’ve heard recently, has transformed into “Prolly”. Prolly!?!? Blasphemy!
Is this something that should be acceptable as our language moves with the times or is there something meaningful slipping away?
As the age of technology consumes all of us and streaming and scrolling have become the new norm, I ache for the connection of a real and perhaps leisurely conversation. The expedited way in which young people talk has become yet another obstacle to overcome.
I find the whiz bang speed of talking for most people under 30 feels like a race just to get your own words out. Is anyone listening? Or are we just trying to win the race? In many ways, our conversations now resemble the velocity in which the images and audio pop onto a screen as we scroll through strangers’ lives on TikTok and Instagram.
As a parent of teenagers, I often find myself struggling to keep up with the rapid, muddled pace of their speech, which mirrors the speed of their typing (mostly with their thumbs). I see myself through their eyes as Ralph Wiggum on The Simpsons when I simply reply “Huh?” as if, of course, I should keep up with them. The whole situation creates a disconnect where parents may eventually feel the need to defer to their children because they simply know more of the slick beast that is our growing technological age. This developing dilemma has already significantly complicated the dynamics of parenting.
I also notice that there are words that spill from the mouths of EVERYONE these days. I know that language is like the ebb and flow of the ocean based on pop culture and what’s in vogue. However, here’s where I think laziness steps in like a sliding UGG boot. “PERFECT”, “It’s all good” and “No worries” indeed have me worried. These phrases have become so ubiquitous that even AI customer service bots parrot them.
It feels like a “Blinkist” approach to language: choosing easy, blurted phrases rather than taking the time to provide a curated, original response. Auto-correct and ChatGPT can’t be there to help conjure replies when we are actually having a live conversation with a real person!
Maybe you agree with what I’ve presented here and perhaps it’s “all good” with you. Maybe you see our children as the ones we can depend on to adapt like immigrant parents would on their first-generation American-born kids.
In any event, next time you shorten a word or speak like you’ve had too much coffee, take a deep breath and, please — slow it down. And, if you find yourself saying the words that the masses blurt out, try for the more original way to state it? As far as other words go, I’m enjoying “swell”, “exceptional”, “expansive!” or maybe even “KC” (“knuff ced,” taken from those beloved 1930s).
I would love to hear what you think!
Please respond if you’d like to share to. You can email me at disny66@gmail.com.
Editor’s note: Dianne Snyder also writes the “Sitting By the River” column for Nyack News and Views.
