The Death and Birth of English

photo from Grammarly

A friend of mine recently posted the photo from Grammarly featuring the quote from Conan O’Brien. The most surprising thing about it is that it is almost a year old and still making the rounds. I have previously mentioned various words of the year as named by various groups. Each so-named word-of-the-year generates the usual pitiful wails from the language purists who remain convinced that Shakespeare, or Dickens, or (insert favorite English author) had the language in its perfect form and we are fools for changing it.

To those purists who have nothing better to do than grouse about the perversion of our language based on societal change I say, “Get over it! English ain't Latin." (Like it or not even spell check knows ain’t is a word.)

Some argue the words selected are too silly or represent a fad. Often they do. Not!* The truthiness** of the Occupy*** movement was challenged by some, but not if they had a subprime**** mortgage. The rise of words expressing the dynamic of society generate the energy that keeps English alive. Rather than killing the language, these words represent the continual birth found in any living language.

Truthfully, those decrying the various words of the year are not attacking the word so much as they disagree with the circumstances that promoted the word to prominence. That is not a question for the linguists who study trends in language but for the society that allowed “selfie” to become a thing. Why are people so preoccupied with taking photos of themselves? I would argue that in a world where everything is social, it’s a cry for attention, “Hey, look at me,” and when the world does not, the selfie offers the illusion of attention, “I’m looking at me.”

Maybe selfie is not so silly.

People, look beyond yourself.

No. Really. Pay attention to the background! No one wants to see your dirty underwear or any of the other embarrassing things captured in that moment of self-affirmation.

In November the various organizations that compile the lists of influential words will again offer their collections. At this point in the year I am at a loss to predict what words will be selected, but I know there will again be the usual uproar predicting the death of our diseased dialects. If it is the typical year, my voice will rise with the others - with the understanding that those cries do not draw us to the funeral parlor, but to the nursery, where we view the continuing birth of English.

*1992, **2005, ***2011, ****2007 words of the year. We may not use them as much, but we still know what they mean.

The Outsider

Back in December I bought the Hunger Games series of books on my Kindle because “everyone” was raving about them. When I mentioned on Facebook that I had my next month’s reading lined up, people commented that I had my next week’s reading lined up. I could not wait to start.

Then I could not wait for it to get good.

Then I was considering, “I’ve heard this story before – Romeo and Juliet meet Lord of the Flies.”

Then I was thinking, “How much longer is this book?”

Friends and acquaintances kept assuring me it would get better. It never really did.

Now they are assuring me that the next books are better than the first. I’ve paid for the books, so I will likely read them, but my expectations have diminished greatly.

I have read young adult literature for years while teaching English and afterward as a counselor. The search for new and engaging literature of merit to include in the classroom or inspire reluctant readers kept me reading and I found much worthy of recommendation. I have to carefully consider to whom I would recommend a book about teens celebrated for killing other teens.

When I make statements that I do not care for the book, people give me a most incredulous look that makes me feel I should apologize for not relishing what is popular.

Indeed, I feel like I am living in a young adult drama.

Not only is there a story in the situation. There is an entire genre – and much of it is worth reading.