The English language is getting dumber

[Anonymous]

Y’all haven’t taken a history of the English language or linguistics class and it shows. Or even perused the Wikipedia pages. Check them out! They’re free!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree with you to a certain level, I mean, it may feel that way, but its because we belong to a different generation, what makes sense for us, doesn't make sense for the new generation, which is difficult don't you think? I use this site to keep boosting my techniqueshttps://preply.com/en/blog/online-english-courses-for-beginners/ I wish to help you guys to improve in this path, and if you help me to share this materials or others so we can regularize the language, lets keep it up

I hope punctuation is part of your regularize regime.

[Anonymous]

Language is a living and evolving. It's right or wrong only when some of us decide what is wrong. Nothing is wrong, just different, and different is right for others. You take your dumber, or wrong, and go you-know-where.

[Anonymous]

Complaining about evolving language is about as basic, UMC as you can get.

I took "keyboarding" in HS in 1993. it has existed for ages.

My crotchety ASD father likes to complain about language evaluation - stuff like verbing, and adding an extra word to action verbs (like "swapping out" instead of just saying "swapping" - he things is SOOOOO low class). I think it's a sad way of lording your UMC education over someone who may not have had access to that type of grammar growing up - but is just as, or far more, intelligent and educated -just didn't have the consistent access to grammar. Basically, complaining about grammar is the equivalent of a grumpy old man yelling "get off my lawn!!!".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is cringeworthy when you join an organization these days and get “onboarded.”

I think "cringeworthy" is a horrible word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are you, OP? I took keyboarding in the ninth grade back in '96.

Not OP, but I took typing on a typewriter in 9th grade in 1982.

My first job re-entering the work force at 55 required a "typing speed" of 70 wpm.

As for language, I understand about language evolving, none of us speak Proto-Indo-European. I like how human history is woven into our language--but yes, I feel annoyed by how it changes in our own time.

Makes me wonder how modes of communication have affected language: when printed books appeared, was that gradually reflected in how people spoke somehow? My dad used to talk about how radio and TV made regional accents less obvious than before those were in common use. Now we are deluged with awful corporate language plus what gets spread via online media.

[Anonymous]

I loathe the term "hating on" something instead of hating it. It makes me cringe every time I hear it.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure you have a logical argument. A person types on a typewriter. A typewriter is completely different than a keyboard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this much pearl-clutching happened when Old English became Middle English, or during other multiple times in history when language changed.

The only constant is change.

When Latin started collapsing into the vernaculars, it was called Vulgar. Pearls surely were clutched.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this much pearl-clutching happened when Old English became Middle English, or during other multiple times in history when language changed.

The only constant is change.

When Latin started collapsing into the vernaculars, it was called Vulgar. Pearls surely were clutched.

You know, the one thing that really pisses me off is the invention of the printing press right after the great vowel shift. The great vowel shift never should have happened.

[Anonymous]

So in middle school, I took typing-on IBM Selectrics! Yeah, I'm old. But in high school, we got a fancy new computer lab (aka a classroom with new carpet and a window AC unit) and it was keyboarding after that.

So that word has been in use quite some time.

[Anonymous]

I thi think American English has become extremely shallow. Converse with any Canadian and you’ll be exposed to broader range of vocabulary and better, fuller use of grammar. Our office admin person can barely write in an exact and coherent fashion. It’s incredibly sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Complaining about evolving language is about as basic, UMC as you can get.

I took "keyboarding" in HS in 1993. it has existed for ages.

My crotchety ASD father likes to complain about language evaluation - stuff like verbing, and adding an extra word to action verbs (like "swapping out" instead of just saying "swapping" - he things is SOOOOO low class). I think it's a sad way of lording your UMC education over someone who may not have had access to that type of grammar growing up - but is just as, or far more, intelligent and educated -just didn't have the consistent access to grammar. Basically, complaining about grammar is the equivalent of a grumpy old man yelling "get off my lawn!!!".

IRL it is a class/education marker, and I'm grateful for that in the workplace. A coworker spouting about ideating and other business school words is one thing, but when they constantly tell us to contact "Bill or I", "Bill or myself" -- tells me everything I need to know about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it s. I keep hearing the word "finna." It makes me cringe.

And “clap back.” There’s already a word for this, called “retort.” Go ahead and use clapback on PopSugar, but I’m starting to see it on news websites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it s. I keep hearing the word "finna." It makes me cringe.

And “clap back.” There’s already a word for this, called “retort.” Go ahead and use clapback on PopSugar, but I’m starting to see it on news websites.

Oh my goodness, do you people know anything about language? Finna is part of a dialect that millions of people use in everyday speech. Clapback is one of a zillion words that has been added to the English language over time. It was officially added to Webster’s dictionary a year ago.

I guess you can go on hating the words but at least recognize that it’s arbitrary and, in the case of “finna,” classist.