Yes, it’s annoying isn’t it? Words that are, like, used way, way to often should be, like, erased from the, em, like the English language ya know? It’s a lovely emotive subject among my friends which also involves an absurd amount of ‘slagging off’ of certain members in my school (and is therefore well received during a boring lunch break). It’s not as though it’s any easier to say or understand. It doesn’t even make you appear more intelligent or interesting. So why do we speak it? Now it’s everywhere, and if you’re stuck in a school that is home too many Americans (or has a large American influence), it is rampant! It is an obvious culture which is taking over and is making our generation look like idiotic sheep. You accidentally add a ‘like’ into your sentence (and when it is around you all day it often just slips out) and suddenly you’re just another poor mindless child swept up in the world of advertising, oblivious to the real global issues that are around us. Now our generation has a reputation for thinking reading is for ‘losers’, as is school, and no one really needs an education “because neither of my parents bothered finishing school and they are fine” - generally said by people who are living in council flats and eating school lunches paid by the government. In many places, people don’t have insight into other people’s lives, one of the reasons big brother was so popular is because it gave people a chance to see a different kind of culture. In my home town it is rare to see anyone of colour and although no one is racist, no one really understands what races are. I had a friend who asked me if I got washing machines in Asia! I’m sick of people treating me as though I am about 10 because that is the way other people my age ask to be treated (even if it is not intentionally). A friend of my mums was convinced I was turning 18 on my last birthday, and she would know how teenagers of that age act considering she has an 18 year old daughter. So are our generations latest 'fads' the problem? Is it something that can be changed? Will we always be known as a ‘dumb’ or 'uncreative' generation? Is it the media? Is it our parents? Is it peer pressure? Did people think of previous generations in the same way? Can it be changed? you decide!
[quote:fff034add2="fairyliquid"]So are our generations latest 'fads' the problem? Is it something that can be changed? Will we always be known as a ‘dumb’ or 'uncreative' generation? Is it the media? Is it our parents? Is it peer pressure? Did people think of previous generations in the same way? Can it be changed? you decide![/quote:fff034add2] A little bit of them all. Teachers and parents because they don't emphasise the importance of being able to express yourself clearly and concisely. Grammar, syntax, spelling all seem to be seen as optional, even in schools, colleges and universities. The media perpetuates this by such things as "right-on" presenters on kids tv, writing books in the vernacular and indeed as you said, making "stars" out of mumbling incoherent nonentities via so called "reality tv" (and dont get me started on that one!) Peer pressure also plays it's part. If someone cannot or will not understand the words you are using, then it is lamentably easy to slip into the lazy or slovenly way that they themspelves speak. I suppose people have always thought thus, so yes previous generations were seen this way. Language is an evolving thing, and that is all to the good, as long as one can still express things clearly in whatever is the language of the day. Can it be changed? Yes I'm pretty sure it can be, if the problem is tackled at the root, in schools and homes (and on message boards??) Will it be? - doubt it!
[quote:c26580d9c4="sleepy_sarge"] Language is an evolving thing, and that is all to the good, as long as one can still express things clearly in whatever is the language of the day.[/quote:c26580d9c4] Unfortuantely, I think there are a large percentage of people who find it dificult [b:c26580d9c4]too[/b:c26580d9c4] express themselves. Violence is usually cause by a lack of alternative means to express your self. If your angry, you hit someone instead of finding a way to tell them the problem and work around it through the use language. edit to add: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4158696.stm
I followed the link. Now words have failed [i:746863b7f1][b:746863b7f1]me[/b:746863b7f1][/i:746863b7f1] *shakes head*
What alot would come down to is laziness and the willingness of people to conform. What well we have (I would be at the top edge of the generation in age) is a generation that is used to instant gratification, e.g. turn on the light switch and there will be light. They have not had to work for anything, there is stupid political correctness involved where they are not meant to be called stupid. The belief that there are easy soloutions to many problems and if it is too hard why do it! get someone else to do it if it must be done. Well the that turned into a rant.
There will always be a large proportion of the population that is basically stupid. In my limited experience it is often better to let them get on with it than attempt to change anything. Some teenagers just couldn't give a damn about their education, so in 20 years time when they are still living at home with their parents with no job, they will have no one to blame but themselves. I don't blame them actually. I am also getting rather fed up with school in general. Most of the people that can barely speak the language were actually doing quite well in school up to about the middle of primary school, then their child's brains finally snapped under the pressure put on children by the government. Children are not mini adults waiting to be force fed knowledge and have everything they need for the future impressed upon them. We are human and have breaking points. So basically, I hate you Health Studies staff for all the emotional truama you have put me through over the last 3 years. It will be your fault if I get to the point of not caring about my inability to use punctuation. And if I suddenly start talking rubbish like a n00b then you will know who to blame. Throw off the shackles of education! Overthrow the teaching oppressors! Talk like a complete twat! Be a child!
[quote:49f39662a1="Andalusian"]Throw off the shackles of education! Overthrow the teaching oppressors! Talk like a complete twat! Be a child![/quote:49f39662a1] This is a quote from the contestant instructions for "Big Brother" right?
[quote:e0ed4169eb="Andalusian"]There will always be a large proportion of the population that is basically stupid. In my limited experience it is often better to let them get on with it than attempt to change anything. Some teenagers just couldn't give a damn about their education, so in 20 years time when they are still living at home with their parents with no job, they will have no one to blame but themselves.[/quote:e0ed4169eb] I think it's the responsibility of teachers and parents to motivate their Kids so that they can make the most of their life. If they're a bit mentally slow, they should try and keep the ambition in check, obviously they won't be the MD of a huge company but they could learn a trade and work their way up to manager/supervisor status. I don't believe that there is anyone who is incapable of holding down a half-decent job, except maybe the criminally insane. [quote:e0ed4169eb="Andalusian"]I don't blame them actually. I am also getting rather fed up with school in general. Most of the people that can barely speak the language were actually doing quite well in school up to about the middle of primary school, then their child's brains finally snapped under the pressure put on children by the government. Children are not mini adults waiting to be force fed knowledge and have everything they need for the future impressed upon them. We are human and have breaking points.[/quote:e0ed4169eb] Exactly, I get the impression that schools are just trying to force-feed their pupils facts so that they can pass exams and get the school good results. The best teachers at school aren't the ones who blindly tell you how to do something, they put it into an outside context and show that it is actually useful. How many times have I heard people say, what's the point in teaching us algebra? This allows you to work out what coins you should give the cashier, how to work out the league tables, what you need to finish a game of darts. They just don't realise that it is actually algebra. [quote:e0ed4169eb="Andalusian"]Throw off the shackles of education! Overthrow the teaching oppressors! Talk like a complete twat! Be a child![/quote:e0ed4169eb] I say no, teach the teachers, and possibly the parents, to teach the children correctly.
Every young person ever has talked and used language that makes them sound like idiots to some, it’s just a way of expressing yourself so that you don’t sound like your adult oppressors. It’s always just a phase, everybody grows out of it eventually – even that annoying habit of intoning the end of a sentence to make it sound like a question will go away eventually. It’s all very tribal and very human, perfectly natural and always annoying to some, amusing to others, but everyone does it to some extent on some level or other. Every now and again some of the ‘new’ words stick and get added to our language.
[quote:d6492ee251]It’s always just a phase, everybody grows out of it eventually[/quote:d6492ee251] I fint that many don't because of teachers lack of interest oce they lose the incentive to learn. There are pleanty of examples of people who don't 'grow out' of these habbits. The problem, as pepster said, is that the generation has had everything done for them and don't feel they need contribute anything. Because of them we have a bad name. I think it is largely to do with the fact we have so much thrust at us in school. I have been to both public british schools and private/international and its amazing the difference in attitude people have when they want to learn and the teachers want to teach. Unfortunately a lot of the American ways of speaking have leaked in. Luckily the people in my school *will* grow out of it. Those who have no reason to strive will just become an unfortunate group of 'noobs'
[quote:df2432fa4d="fairyliquid"][quote:df2432fa4d]It’s always just a phase, everybody grows out of it eventually[/quote:df2432fa4d] I fint that many don't because of teachers lack of interest oce they lose the incentive to learn. There are pleanty of examples of people who don't 'grow out' of these habbits. The problem, as pepster said, is that the generation has had everything done for them and don't feel they need contribute anything. Because of them we have a bad name. I think it is largely to do with the fact we have so much thrust at us in school. I have been to both public british schools and private/international and its amazing the difference in attitude people have when they want to learn and the teachers want to teach. Unfortunately a lot of the American ways of speaking have leaked in. Luckily the people in my school *will* grow out of it. Those who have no reason to strive will just become an unfortunate group of 'noobs'[/quote:df2432fa4d]Oh, when I said they eventually grow out of it, I meant by the time they are about 30 - for some people anyway.
I agree with Maljonic, it is an age-old thing to b*tch about how degenerate the young folks are, I wouldn't worry so much about it. The poor have always been with us and have always been a target for reformers. It gives them something to do, hopefully they stay too busy to do anything that affects everybody, like Prohibition. South Park just came on, got to go!
[quote:00f3d45fac="fairyliquid"] Unfortunately a lot of the American ways of speaking have leaked in. [/quote:00f3d45fac] Okay, I have to take issue with this. Yes, many American teenagers have atrociously poor vocabularies etc. But that doesn't let the rest of you off the hook! I know there is a lot of cultural contamination thanks to movies etc., but have you ever watched british television? Can you honestly say its any better? Eastenders, Corrie,...the list goes on. Don't blame us for something that's not entirely our fault.
[quote:0e19e8b6cc="roisindubh211"] Okay, I have to take issue with this. Yes, many American teenagers have atrociously poor vocabularies etc. But that doesn't let the rest of you off the hook! I know there is a lot of cultural contamination thanks to movies etc., but have you ever watched british television? Can you honestly say its any better? Eastenders, Corrie,...the list goes on. Don't blame us for something that's not entirely our fault.[/quote:0e19e8b6cc] I wasn't trying to say it was just americans, I should have used some other examples...sorry. The thing is you dont often see anyone but brits going around sounding (or trying to sound) like the people from eastenders or anything but you do see people comming out with typical 'american' phrases. That is what I am taking issue with. I go to an international school which has very few americans in it (they go to the american school funnily enough) but still many of the people go around acting in a way that is typically seen as 'American'. It [i:0e19e8b6cc]is[/i:0e19e8b6cc] mostly due to the spread of american television and I know it's not entirely americans fault and we are partly to blame but their influence is, to put it simply, gobsmacking! So yes Britain has a lot to answer for but I only know a handful of non brits that watch eastenders and corrie...I mention red dwarf, ab fab, father ted, dr. who, or any popular british tv series' and I get blank stares from anyone unless they have stayed in the uk for any length of time. I mention the the OC, simpsons, the apprentice, american idol (much as it pains me to say it) or any other countless american ones and the room is an uproar of discussion... anyway...im not trying to say its all america's fault, we shouldn't watch them all if we dont like their influence. What I am trying to say is that some of america's worse aspects (and america has some amazing features) seems to be spreading everywhere. There are a lot of other reasons than this however...
Both 'The apprentice' and 'American Idol' where orginally english shows (american idol from pop idol). While i see the spread of american slang quite often, there is just as much british about, 'innit?'
i worked with a fella who came from newcastle upon tyne. within months i was putting a newcastlion 'like' at the end of my sentences, saying whether things were canny or uncanny, and was totally in love with the accent!!! my bro-in-law (from belfast) never had an irish accent until he moved to wales. i also tend to get abit of belfast / scotish brogue about me when i get nervous.
[quote:1459d9fc00="Rincewind"]Both 'The apprentice' and 'American Idol' where orginally english shows (american idol from pop idol). While i see the spread of american slang quite often, there is just as much british about, 'innit?'[/quote:1459d9fc00] yes but they are refering to the american versions...some of them were not even aware of the british ones.
accents are funny things. My mom and teh next two in her family were born in Brooklyn and lived there during their childhoods. The family had moved up to Rockland (well out of the city) before the other girls were born. My mom has almost no accent (ie recognizably american, but no regional things in it) Her two younger sisters however, have New York accents. Nearly painful ones, even for me to hear. And I've been told I sound more American since I moved to Dublin.
When kids in my classes are talking or giving a presentation, I often count how many times they say 'like'. The scary part is, I often lose count after about fifty. I try very hard not to say the L-word. Since hearing it drives me crazy here. It's very much an american culture thing. Something I'm still getting used to as well!
heh it's funny - I'm doing an English degree, part of which is linguistics. Because the word 'like' is such a new phenomenon there haven't been extensive studies of it yet, but people in the linguistcis world are becoming quite interested in it, actually. Nobody knows how to classify it - a 'filler' is quite common, meaning something someone says to fill up the time while they think, instead of 'er', or it gets used as a means of introducing a 'paralinguistic gesture' (as in a shrug or something..."and he was like (shrugs)"). I think it's caught too much hold to stop anymore...you just have to think about it as am interesting new direction that language is taking. I don't think it's entirely an Americanism anymore either - it's become too widespread for that...something about an age. I wonder whether it's something kids will grow out of - I probably haven't yet. Yes it is, like, annoying though...
