Wiston Papers

English is a living language.  That's why it's constantly changing.

Picture the following scene on a sidewalk in London.  Two strangers meet and begin speaking.  A few minutes later they walk away in opposite directions--shaking their heads in confusion.  

The two were fluent in English.  But one speaker was from 13th Century; the second from the 21st.  

Eight centuries separate Middle English from Modern English.  Such is the case with organic entities and all languages are subject to evolution.

When I was born seven decades ago, American English of the mid-20th Century had a nearly universally understandable vocabulary and widely recognized  rules for spelling, syntax, and grammar.  Even short-lived slang expressions were shared and understood by most Americans.

In other words, the English rules I learned and continued to refine during subsequent years were based on standards I held to be the ideal.

However, language changes.  Commonly used words either change in spelling, conjugation, meaning or disappear.  And new words emerge.

The old vocabulary either no longer fits the times or those who use it apply the language incorrectly.

One would hope that language as employed by the nation’s upper class and arbiters of taste would percolate through all social strata to feed, inspire and reinforce correct usage. Residents of a nation would emulate and adopt the practices of the elite.

The reverse is true.  So-called substandard English leaches upward similar to a broken septic tank that spews sewage, degrades the surrounding environment, and spreads unchecked until it permeates everything.

Some readers will consider as overly harsh my evaluation of contemporary American English as a putrid contamination emanating from uneducated masses.   Despite this persistent erosion I continue to respect the English standards that prevailed during my formative years.  

Authors Richard Lederer (“Amazing Words”) and     Paul Dickson (“Words from The White House”) are two writers who have documented the ebb and flow of American English.  Lederer lists scores of words that have disappeared; Dickson cites others that were coined by America’s presidents.

I argue that every word necessary to communicate clearly and effectively today existed when I was born.  But the majority of Americans--including me--lack a vocabulary so extensive that we can easily and immediately draw upon the exact word that conveys precisely what we want say or write.  

As a result, we all contribute to language change by making up new words, revising the meaning of existing words, and embracing new slang with each generation.

Readers of my earlier blogs on words know that:

--I prefer the earlier noun form of “mixture” to the contemporary use of the verb “mix.”  I like to keep verbs and nouns separate.

--I cringe when I hear “snuck” instead of “sneaked.”

--I moan when someone uses “impacted rather than “affected.”

--Few things are “awesome,” but it’s used today as a substitute for an enthusiastic “yes.”

--“Its” and “it’s” are too commonly confused in writing.

--The singular “There’s” is almost always used even when followed by plural ideas, objects of persons.

--The nominative case has all but disappeared except for the few persons who still answer the telephone with “This is she/he.”  Otherwise, we substitute “her” and “him” after every other occurrence of the verb “to be” and its various tenses.

My dismay, nevertheless, is a futile reaction to what is inevitable.

Simply stated the standard of English I speak and prefer reflects the stage the language had reached at the moment of my birth.  Since English will continue to evolve it is fruitless to demand permanent allegiance by everyone to a standard destined to be swept away by changing cultural and societal expectations.

My granddaughters born today will employ a lexicon significantly different from mine when they reach my age.  We all are spectators of a fascinating evolution.  

Fascinating and often frustrating.  I acknowledge  the change; I just don’t have to accept it.   

Steve Coon

January 14, 2013