I have a feeling that I am very old fashioned when it comes to the use of words. I find it difficult to like the way certain words are used nowadays.
One is 'like' which is often used in place of a comma. 'So, like, I've got this amazing ,like, deal on my insurance.....'
Like was mainly a verb, as in 'I like this meal'. Now it's random.
Then, 'amazing'. During the last couple of days I have had one or two business type telephone calls which have the word 'amazing' splattered around as in 'Did you get my email? Amazing!' I can't agree that receiving an email translates as being amazing but.....
The word 'wicked' once meant evil. Now it seems to mean wonderful!
I've just had a look at Wikipedia's list of GenZ slang , and it's a foreign language to me!
Am I being crotchety??
I think I need to go and sit in the sun for a bit!
A little corner of my garden.
22 comments:
It looks very restful in that little corner of your garden.
It's very confusing, especially when 'sick' and 'bad' start being used for 'great', 'fantastic"!
Sitting in your lovely garden should restore some calm.
I totally agree with you, the use of 'sick' drives me crazy.
I can just about tolerate like being used as a comma when it is coming from the mouth of a teenager but an adult using it in that way really gets my goat!
Yes, I'm lost in a sea of words and also the 'letters for sentences' trend in texting or emails. Your garden corner is inviting.
It's pedantic of me, but I struggle with "I'm good" . Goodness is not a quality I am comfortable with assigning to myself! In good health, or in good spirits maybe .But not "I'm good" , and Grace is Amazing!
I’m crotchety for many reasons, not use the improper use of words. So, I think we would be great company. Linda T
I haven't understood anyone in a very long time.
I love this photo. Looks like an ideal spot to sit and drink a cup of tea. I saw that you live in Truro on another blog and decided to pop over and say hello. I used to live in Devon (Torbay) from 1965 to 1975, and was often in Cornwall during those years. I have lived in America for 50 years. You have reminded me about words I need to cut back on. Thank you! Lovely blog!
That's a sweet little corner. Language, yes, it can be frustrating at times. I know I use "amazing" too often, but do try to keep it for things that really are out of the ordinary! ;-)
I've noticed that my 17 yr old GS has started sprinkling his conversations with LIKE. I don't much like it but hesitate to say anything lest he becomes self conscious and talks to me less.
Your little garden corner is beautiful!
Language, like so many other things these days, is sadly NOT what it used to be!
Jo
"Incredible" confuses me.
It's hard to keep up with the changing language.
I, too, find it dismaying to watch our language shaping and reshaping into other words with other meanings. I suppose language has always been evolving. But I still have no desire to say 'wicked' for something good. What word will we start to use when we really need a strong force of a word to represent the horrid things in our world?
I love that lovely spot in your garden - it should go a long way to restoring some calm moments. I would love to sit and visit with you there.
Your post today made laugh. I agree, the English language sure takes a beating these days.
Oh I have my own gripes with the usage of words these days. Putting AT at the end of a sentence as 'where is it AT'. and the word closure as pertaining to death. There's no closure to death for the ones left behind. There's always a hole in the soul when you lose someone...and that hole is not gonna close. Just a couple of my pet peeves.
Language has ever thus evolved and will continue to, especially by youths. They seem to delight in re- and misappropriating words to feel special and different from older generations. They are too young and silly to realize that their youth alone sets them apart quite adequately.
Interestingly, nothing's changed since WE were young and reinvented words. Yep, we were just as guilty as they are now. And our parents were just as exasperated. :^) :^)
The language of the young so often amazes me. I just can't keep up.
God bless.
As I read your thoughts, this quote came to mind:
"Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." ~ C. S. Lewis
(Bekah shared the quote with me when I used the word "awesome" to describe something which very clearly wasn't.)
Your garden spot is a lovely one for resting and banishing all thoughts of strange word usage. Slang has often been used by the younger generations. When I was teaching I managed to keep up with it, but now, I'm lost!
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