I hate language evolution....

[rwsmith]

2-17 Admin Edit:

Alas, reading comprehension has also declined.

If one does not believe that, one should try to moderate an internet forum with a well published set of rules.

Perhaps it is not a failure of comprehesion.
Perhaps it is just disregard. "What I know needs to be said."
Perhaps it is just defiance. "I don't care about those rules."
Perhaps it is just elitism. "I'm ME, and should not be hindered by regulations pertaining to the masses."

Those rules I refer to are:

The following topics are BANNED on this Board:
Abortion
Religion
Racial issues <<<<<<<<
Gay rights/homosexuality <<<<<
General LEO bashing
Political Discussion and Comment
Do NOT participate in discussion of banned topics.

and:
"Cre@t!ve sp&!!ing" of the words which the filter traps is forbidden.

Yet I've deleted several posts discussing the evolution of the definition of "gay", and several more that are obvious discussion of the dialects of racial groups, and one or two with creative spelling.

The rules apply all day, every day.
I can lock the thread if you folks just can't control yourselves......

/////////////////////

original post:

Languages evolve, but I don't want my English to evolve because of something that is repeated to the point that it becomes accepted.

Watching news or reading paper they are interviewing witnesses:

"I seen him coming down the road"

"We seen him hit the kid on the bicycle"

I hear/read this every time there is a witness interview. I can't remember when the last time I heard "I saw him" or "We saw him"

Some changes are ok, but the ones I don't like are not ok.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Having had lots of linguistics courses, I do recognize that language is constantly evolving; indeed I know a thing or two about the various was it does evolve. That said, I agree with you. Some evolution is natural and inevitable, but a lot of the variation we see is just ignorance.
In this time and place we inhabit, we have developed standards which educated and civilized people will follow. In another time and place, those standards will almost certainly look very different.

 

[soFlaNative]

I'm hearing quite often the ground referred to as"floor".

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Evolution is one thing. Bad grammar is, well, you know (I don't want to be called the "grammar cop" again!).

 

[vytoland]

i aint gots no issues wit dat stuff........no problem...have a nice day.....

 

[snuffy51]

Most of the time I can figure out what a person, or whatever, is trying to say. Really helps if you can see what they are pointing at.

 

[richardw]

The thing I really be that really bothers me is when people say ‘me and him’ or ‘us and them.’ I thought students learned better in early grammar school. OK, I am bordering on delusional thinking that education in today’s public schools is working.

 

[snuffy51]

At times you need to be kinda careful how you talk. I know a lot of good ole' boys who might at times take offense of how you speak to them. Some folks might assume you are talking down to them. I know a lot of places that it is to your advantage to try to blend in as best you can.

 

[ameridaddy]

So, I was going like "you talking to me?" and he went "yeah, wassup?" and I mean, like, what I'm saying is like, you know, me too.

 

[Absalom]

Languages evolve, but I don't won't my English to evolve ....

The thing I really be that really bothers me .......

To avoid being labeled a pot calling the kettle black, one should proof-read one's own utterings ....

 

[Old TexMex]

To avoid being labeled a pot calling the kettle black, one should proof-read one's own utterings ....

Nobody spells proofread with a hyphen anymore. Well, almost nobody does.
BTW, you cannot “utter” on the keypad, as utterings require sound.

 

[rwsmith]

Well, I had to..

To avoid being labeled a pot calling the kettle black, one should proof-read one's own utterings ....

I had to correct 'won't' to 'want'. Trying to compose comments on the fly doesn't make for the best syntax either.
.

 

[tops]

Would it be better if they sed: I seed him and we seed him. Larry

 

[snubbyfan]

I remember one time at the Toyota parts counter, I worked with a Mexican fellow. He spoke very good English and was taking enunciation classes. Whenever he came across a word he had problems pronouncing, I was always happy to help him with it.
Anyway, a well dressed customer comes in, using proper grammar, seemed well educated and asks Jorge, our Mexican fellow, "let me ax you sumpin'," we had a hard time not laughing when Jorge explained how the customer can't ax him sumpin' but that she can ask him something.
Jorge was disgusted by people that were born and raised in this country yet they couldn't speak proper English.

Me, I'm just an ignorant gimpy Injun living in the mountains of West Virginia but I at least try.

 

[chief38]

When we grew up in the 50's and 60's we had our own lingo as well. It was just BOSS!

 

[bigwheelzip]

In my neighborhood, we just make our own lingo.

 

[crazyphil]

I had a couple of little cancers on my left ear. The Doc was mumbling
about taking half of my ear off. I said that would be OK because I dont
like much of what I've been hearing anyway.

Another benefit of old age (83) is hearing loss. I'm too vain or poor to
buy hearing aids. You can buy some pretty nice guns for what a couple
of hearing aids cost.

Seldom does a day go by that I don't tell a younger
person they have to slow down and speak clearly if they want me to
understand what they are saying.

 

[vonn]

As long as I can grasp the meaning I am ok with it. I deal with people from many different parts of the country and the world and “American English “ is not the same for everyone.

 

[Triggernosis]

Languages evolve, but I don't want my English to evolve because of something that is repeated to the point that it becomes accepted.

Watching news or reading paper they are interviewing witnesses:

"I seen him coming down the road"

"We seen him hit the kid on the bicycle"

I hear/read this every time there is a witness interview. I can't remember when the last time I heard "I saw him" or "We saw him"

Some changes are ok, but the ones I don't like are not ok.

In my neck of the woods, 99% of the folks that use "seen" improperly are uneducated rednecks.

 

[Triggernosis]

I'm hearing quite often the ground referred to as"floor".

Yeah, dontcha know it's the "deck"?