You won’t read it in the newspaper. You won’t see it as a breaking story on the evening news. I will tell you now, Words Are Dying. And, at an alarming rate!
Some words are being butchered in a gruesome murder by a lazy society. The “violence” began with the emergence of online services. Here are a few examples:
Laugh out loud became: LOL
Talk To You Later is now: TTYL
Be Right Back is better known as: BRB
These abbreviations, used in the name of efficiency, are not alone. There are many others: Just Kidding (JK), In My Opinion (IMO), Okay (K). The list is extensive but hopefully you get the idea.
I admit that I have been an assasin and have used many abbreviations as my weapon of choice. I’m not proud of this declaration. I am guilty. But I, and other “criminals” will not be sentenced (pun intended) to a word prison. Because and unfortunately, word mutilation has become an accepted form of communication.
While growing up, my mother would constantly correct my spoken words. It was irritating, like a bad outbreak of poison ivy. Whenever I uttered, “Uh-huh”, “Yah”, and “Yup” she corrected me. She never washed my mouth out with soap. However, it took me awhile to finally learn, “Yes” is THE proper and appropriate word to use.
Oh! I almost forget this next tip. When talking to, about, or with a group of girls, DO NOT call them “you guys.” For example, “So, when do you guys want to meet up for ice-cream?” That sort of thing. I was corrected a lot for that indiscretion. Thank you Mom!
Now, I’m not talking about different geographic dialects. That’s a whole different story. In the South, “Ya’ll” has replaced you all. That is an acceptable contraction. I guess. And, instead of “I’m getting ready to go to the store,” Southerners will say, “I’m fixin’ to take the kids to the store.” I ‘m assuming that is an abbreviated way to say, “I’m fixing my messy hair and fixing the kid’s broken jacket zippers so we can go to the store.” I dunno. (See, I told you I’m guilty. Bad, Peter. Very bad!)
What bothers me most is the absence of words. The vanishing act. The missing report.
Where has “Please” gone? Please has been replaced by: “Give Me”, “Let Me Have”, and “I’ll take.”
When was “Thank You” last seen? “Thank You” has to be on some sort of Endangered Species List, with a threat of extinction.
These dying words, along with the virtues of courtesy and patience, are victims of the world we now live in. A Dave Matthews Band lyric states, “Progress takes away what forever took to find.” AMEN!
Written words are suffering. Spoken words are suffering. Adults are losing their ability to politely and effectively communicate with one another in a face-to-face interaction. Children learn how to use email and text messages before they learn how to spell. Land line phone calls (another item on the endangered species list) replaced letter writing. Text messages and emails are replacing phone calls.
And this is progress?
Goodbye (aka: out, later, ttfn, asta) words. Thank You for your service and hanging around for so long. I will never forget you. Please come back.
Be Kind. Be Thankful. Be Significant.
