The Evolution of Language

The Evolution of Language

Euphemism:  (eu=good; phem=speech); a word or phrase used in place of a term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive. The English language is dynamic. It changes constantly, and every year we average over 2000 new words or new word meanings that are added to our dictionaries. Learning new ways of saying old words is a constant in American society and it keeps teachers and writers busily aggravated while giving us the fuel to shake our heads and roll our eyes in disapproval.

Though the English language has used euphemisms and rewording since its birth, using words as empowerment tools for political or societal gain has taken on new forms and has used words and word play with increasing leverage. Words alone have the power to change opinions and gather support for most anything. Leaders in every field use euphemisms to redefine, in both positive and negative ways, how our most important issues are framed and discussed.

Think of how our past would have changed if literal words were used more often. Look at just a handful of euphemistic words or phrases and their literal meanings: passed away/dead; job creators/rich; visually impaired/blind; soon-to-have/poor; weapons of mass destruction/bomb; taxing the estates of the wealthy/death tax; embryo reduction procedure/abortion; democracies/countries that support the USA; love child/illegitimate child; illegal aliens/immigrants;

Euphemisms are broken into many categories including: abstractions, slang, redirections, and mispronunciations (usually with profanity). With euphemisms, we can imply a meaning without actually saying it. We can critique someone’s clothing without sounding self-righteous or judgmental; for example, “That makes him/her look fat or trampy.” Instead of, “He/she looks fat or like a tramp.” Instead of saying someone is stupid, we can say, “He isn’t very bright.” My wife can say of me, “He isn’t always the best dresser,” instead of, “He has no sense of style,” (every morning I ask her, “Do my clothes match?)  Through euphemisms, we can seem proper when we talk about death, birth, sex, intelligence, God, and religion.

Now that we are in full swing of the political campaigning season, the words and speeches of our politically ambitious will be twisted and mixed beyond recognition. Just think, how would you be described by anyone who is running for office? I think they would describe me as a “new wave, big boned, stylistically challenged, soon to have, educator.”

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Story Starters

Today in class, I put some story starters on the board. The students were to work with a partner and continue one of the three prompts on the board. Every few minutes I would say to switch. They would then switch and continue their partner's story.

The students really enjoyed it and compimented the lesson when it was over. We read a couple out loud during class, and will continue with a few at a time during future classes.

Be My Valentine

Valentine’s Day, what a pain in the neck. Why are we pressured to buy gifts, write poems, and declare our love for another? Isn’t a card with heartfelt sentiments good enough? Even when our significant other gives us the ancient cliché, “You don’t have to buy me anything,” we know that’s a hidden code for “You better not forget me.” I guess to them it’s even more romantic if we buy a gift anyway even when we have been freed from all obligations.

Though it is hard to pinpoint exactly where the holiday originated, there are a few legends of the holiday's beginnings. These legends are not completely verifiable, but they are common enough to at least have some degree of believability, so, here it goes. The romantic side of Valentine’s Day is said to come from Lupercalia, a Pagan festival of fertility, that was celebrated in the middle of our month of February. This festival began with an animal sacrifice—nothing says love like a dead animal. After the sacrifice, the celebration continued with the ritualistic slapping of the young women with strips of the animal’s flesh and blood—ah, how romantic. Around the fifth century, the church renamed this holiday as Saint Valentine’s Day (thank heavens!).

Who was Saint Valentine? Who knows? The church canonized several Valentines, but the most accepted belief is of a Roman priest during the reign of Claudius the second. Claudius kept his soldiers in the field for extremely long periods of time, and the soldiers became homesick. So much so, that they became ill suited for battle. Therefore, Claudius banned the soldier and everyone else from the right of marriage. Valentine found this unjust and married the people secretly. When he was found out, he was arrested, jailed, and sentenced to death. While in prison, Valentine fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. On the day he was executed, he slipped his love a note that was signed, “From your valentine.”

Now, to the history of cards: Again, it is hard to pinpoint the exact origins of the cards. In Rome, cards baring the names of young people were once collected and placed in an urn. On Valentine’s Day, you would draw a card to see who your valentine was. You would show your affection to them and would then give them gifts later in the year. It can’t be proven, but a card signed Amanda Huginkiss was mysteriously discovered at every drawing--haha. The cards later became a declaration of love to your significant other. The cards could be quite elaborate and pictures of cherubs or Cupid, the Roman god of Love, were staples of the sentiments. The cards grew in craftsmanship and popularity when they became part of the Civil War soldier’s stationary ration. You can search vintage valentine’s cards on the internet to see the many good examples.

For our Valentine’s Day, we can buy a card (if you’re not imaginative enough to write a good letter), buy some chocolates (make sure it’s her favorite chocolates, not yours), or pay triple the normal price for some roses (it means more to her if you buy flowers randomly throughout the year). It’s up to you, but like she said, “You don’t have to buy me anything,” especially if you want to spend Valentine’s night on the couch.

http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/videos?paidlink=1&cmpid=PaidSearch_Google_HIS_holidays_valentine's%2Bday%2Blegends&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=holidays&utm_term=valentine's%20day%20legends#valentine-cards

http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/videos?paidlink=1&cmpid=PaidSearch_Google_HIS_holidays_valentine's%2Bday%2Blegends&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=holidays&utm_term=valentine's%20day%20legends#history-of-valentines-day

Parts of Speech

Having trouble knowing your parts-of-speech? Check out this web site:   www.eduplace.com/tales/

Here you will plug in the parts of a speech for a great and wacky mad lib! Make sure you read it to somebody. They will find it hilarious.

The History of Profanity

Gosh! The History of Four-Letter Words

            Expletive: an exclamation that is used to fill a vacancy, one that is usually vulgar. Have you ever let one slip? If you have, and you probably have, you’re not alone. I imagine the first curse word was mentioned when Adam found out that Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit. If one was mentioned before that, it was most likely when the first man to walk upright smashed his mouth while using a rock for a fork.
            Many of our most popular movies and television comedies are laden with profanity, innuendos, double entendres (a word that when used, is meant to be understood in a vulgar way), and slang. Even Disney movies do this—so the adults will be entertained while sitting with their children in the theater. However, this isn’t new to this generation. The English loved their adult humor just as much as or more than us. In fact, Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales used humor that would cross the line even in today’s society, and this is a likely reason that students still enjoy studying him. Even the Holy Bible has phrases that were considered profane: II Kings, 18:27, “Eat their own dung,  and . . .”(look it up the read the rest).
             Our language is dynamic and it always has been. Words that were once profane are now acceptable—gosh, golly, darn, dang, shoot, geeze, frick, frack, Jiminy Christmas, etc. However, these words are just as much a profanity as any other, simply because of when and how we use them. We instantly shudder when we hear certain words used in mixed company. As a matter of fact, there are several biblical words that if used in church today, would cause mothers and fathers to cover their children’s ears. Oh, and another darn thing—pardon my French. Have you ever wondered why it is so common to say, “Pardon my French,” after cursing? Well, since we brought our language with us from Mother England, our ancestors brought this phrase here with them. In English society, there were many words that were not considered the Queen’s English. Since the English society was a hierarchy of social classes, the poor had their own language that was mixed with slang commonly used in other languages. If the poor had a colorful four-letter word that wasn’t considered proper English, it was deemed vulgar or foreign. Often foreigners, especially the French, were enemies and were considered below Englishmen. So, not only when they cursed, but when they would behave in any vulgar way, they were essentially saying, excuse me for acting like a Frenchman—notice that the word “pardon” is a French word. 
           Every language and every dialect has “forbidden” language. From the most refined individual to the least, we are all guilty of using a “word” when we are angered, in pain, or elated. When our nerves fire and our mouths open at the same time there’s no telling what may come out.