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Viewing Language Is So Confusing - Why Aren't Green Grocers Green?Language Is So Confusing - Why Aren't Green Grocers Green?
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By Knight Pierce Hirst My grandmother would say the English language has gone to hell in a handbasket. I agree; but because I didn't know where that saying came from, I Googled it. I found out that in 1714 the governor of Piscataqua said something about giving his head in a handbasket before passing something. Then, of course, I had to Google Piscataqua to find out that it is an area in New Hampshire. I never found out the derivation of the phrase or when hand basket became two words, but I did find out that in 1629 telling someone to go to heaven with a wheelbarrow meant the same thing as telling them to go to hell. That might be useful someday, but I digress. If Grandmother were still alive, she would know that we do not speak English anymore. We speak American. No self-respecting Englishman would say 'bad' when he meant 'good' or say 'he goes' instead of 'he says'. When foreigners apologize to me for their broken English, I apologize for not being able to speak their language at all. If I hadn't been born here, I do not think my broken English could ever be put together. Speaking American is as faddish as hula-hoops and pet rocks. Something that was 'good' became 'neat', and 'neat' became 'cool', and 'cool' became 'rad' - or was it 'bad'? A 'girl' became a 'doll', and a 'skirt', and then a 'babe' and a 'chick'. A fad is defined as 'a passing fashion'. Maybe fad words will not have a leg to stand on longer than bell-bottom pants did. If I had a dollar for every time I told my sons to watch what they said, I could have paid someone to watch for me. Of course, I grew through my own swearing stage as I tried to become independent. I succeeded. I was independently alone in my room a lot. Then there is speaking with our bodies. If leaning forward means 'interested' and leaning backward means 'withdrawn', does slouched mean 'bored' - or that the person has bad posture? Because John is making our bed or putting gas in my car says 'love' to me, I have decided that when we speak without words, we are less likely to misspeak. Why does 'one and won make two'? Can a writer do no wrong? Mandate, manage, manual, manufacture - if I put the letter 'I' in the word 'manly', would people think I am mainly trying to womanize our language? About the Author: Knight Pierce Hirst takes humorous looks at life. Take a minute to make yourself smile at knightwatch.typepad.com. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com |
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