After loosing what some could deem a worthless piece of plastic today (red heart shaped earring the size of a baby fist - the 70s will never grow old), I came to another one of "those" conclusions. You know, those that rock your world, as people like Michael Jackson once put it. Not being the oldest of the Homo Sapiens that occupy this planet, things that might seem obvious to others hit me in the face at the strangest, odd-timed moments. Like when I realized that the phrase "dead as a dodo" reffers to an extinct specie.
But sometimes the conclusions amount to more than mere zoology. And that is how so little can mean so much. A classic observer might say to himself, "Much ado about a piece of red plastic" or "Woman". But I belive this whim of mine can be shared by an extended audience. For instance, there is one thing that never fails to quite frankly piss me off - my generation's extensive use of words that shouldn't have EVER been given that title. LOL, LMAO, ROFL, BTW... I could bet my bottom dollar there are many more in the stash of young people around me but thankfully, I am not aware of them. Maybe my obsession to be willing to pay that extra fine for actually spelling out words properly in text messages is strange (it is NOT u but y o u), but there should be borderlines. For me, these "coinages" are the black abyss of the English language, just like the Dirty Sanchez when it comes to sex (no can do honey).
We all know perfectly well that we live in a technological society and all you hypocrites that deem yourselfs special for not having a TV at home can stick it up your behind. There's no denying that escaping technology in today's society is quite difficult. But people, just because it's more efficient and quicker should (mind the use of the word should) not mean that words cease to exist. Laughing out Loud? Why can't people instead say "I find that very whimsical" or "Oh aren't you a funny one!". Words that were once so simple, easy and straightforward now take on sophisticated connotations - (I was once stopped by a fellow age colleauge for using the word sophisticated. Really?!) Not only have these "coinages" taken over cyber space but they are slowly creeping into the mouths of people around us as well. Think of the world ROLF. When pronounced it actually has the sound of a decent hurl (TMI ?).
I don't know whether this linguistic phenomenon is a result of some strange desire of our "fresh" society to just get everything done in the blink of an eye or an act of group belonging (LOL right back atcha' bro!). However, it would be nice to see a few more people that instead of verbal and written stupidity would be impressed by elaborate conversation and verbal expression. Conversation that CAN include the word sophisitcated, for example. There isn't anything wrong with witty slang or verbal puns, but it would nice if the young generation at least got their syllables right. Dress your Language to Impress*
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)

No comments:
Post a Comment