Language Evolution

I have noticed that even well-educated individuals omit the -ly from adverbs. Contemporary evidence in commercials include the following examples: Honda says, "What if it turned sharper?" Apple says, "Think Different." Safe Auto says, "Drive Safe." The teacher in me screams silently, but the business consultant in me watches with fascination as the American English language changes. "Who" is used for "whom." "Alright" is used for "all right." "Womens" is used for "Women's Room." We are losing the -ly form, whom, all right, and the possessive apostrophe. These, of course, are not official changes yet, but they are in the works. A few decades from now, things will be different. If Shakespeare were alive today, would scratch his head in confusion? Language is a communication tool; therefore, it must change to reflect the changes in society and technology so that we can continue to talk to and learn from one another.

How Many Ways Can You Say Garbage?

Garbage--trash--rubbish--debris--refuse--waste. Your eighth-grade English teacher would be proud of your to exercise your vocabulary with multiple synonyms in a narrative assignment about your chores or an expository assignment concerning the importance recycling. Yet, according to the waste management sources, each of those words has a different meaning. And sometimes "Definitions for the same waste may vary within government statutes, regulations, and legislation," according to the Zero Waste America's website today. Garbage means discarded animal and plant matter; garnish on a dish or in a drink; or worthless, inferior, perhaps false, communication. Trash means worthless or discarded material such as paper products, and can refer to people. Be careful when you ask your spouse or child to take out the garbage or trash. You might find the TV or the phone or a person missing! Defining your terms and being specific take on new priority! Others have learned this lesson and have infused their languages with precise choices. For instance, Eskimoan languages have approximately 180 words or word variations for snow and ice, and more than 1000 words for reindeer! Before giving your next speech at a conference, report to the Board of Directors, or lecture at the dinner table, consider what words you must define for clarity. Be precise and specific. Then be consistent by using the same word for the same meaning throughout the commmunication. Switching to a synonym may make your English teacher happy, but doing so in business or at home can confuse those around you into thinking you mean something different when you choose another word.

Foul Language

One of the "Mad Max" movies with young Mel Gibson came on TV earlier today. As a kid, my son Lans loved that series. We would rent the VHS and he would watch it six times over the weekend. I made him promise not to use the language--or there would be no more viewings. He loved watching the creative vehicles booming and screeching across the 13-inch screen of our only TV. (Lest you judge me too hasrshly, he won the Innovation Award in high school, and he has designed several construction tools.) He insisted the violence was make-believe and that I should not worry. Then the first "Beverly Hills Cop" with a young Eddie Murphy arrived, and a similar scenario occurred with the language and violence elements. For Christmas, I gave that same man-child the first and second seasons of "Deadwood." Not being HBO subscribers, none of us had seen the series. My son and I, like my father, study history. My son especially enjoys the 1800s in the story of the U.S. So, this series seemed like a good fit. Within minutes, he and I remarked about the foul language being depicted in the first episode. I indicated that I was not impressed with the writing reflected in the dialogue. Together we guessed the originators wanted to get the point across that few people were well educated and most people did not live long in that era. Sometimes the comments the characters made to one another severed their lives--sharp tongues and sharp knives do not mix well in conversations. Curious about the script, we watched the commentary. Ah-ha! The director said the script used at the beginning of the series was a sequence of events to be shown in the plot-line. The actors had to ad-lib the dialogue as each scene was filmed! I remember my dad, a college-educated military officer, saying, "Bad language is the sign of a lazy mind." In my childhood household, the worst word ever uttered was "damn," and "darn" was the preferred expletive for frustration or anger. When dad sat down to watch "Field of Dreams" with me, he arose within a couple of minutes and stormed out of the living room because he heard one cuss word--maybe the only one in the entire movie! He was not going to waste his time on such a movie that used body functions in the dialogue. I have told college composition classes that such language demonstrates an undereducated person who will not receive income-producing opportunities and promotions on the job. I asked my brother Scott, a master mechanic and parts manager, how he felt about four-letter words peppered in the truckers' vocabulary. He said, "I am not offended, but I do not use those words. I would not want a potential customer to hear me saying them." No matter how you characterize foul language, it remains unprofessional, inaccurate, and noncreative.

Service Awards

Today I received a service award for 25 years at a prestegious community college. I received a round, logo-emblazoned lapel pin with a tiny sparkle in the center (diamond? crystal? glass?). The college recently created a new logo that was introduced into its branding last semester. The logo on the pin is the old design. (Just an interesting observation--perhaps there was no value judgment intended, just prudent use of stored materials.) My name was printed in a program and listed on a screen as I walked with others to the front of the stage to shake the President's hand and those of a series of deans and directors. Actually, it was the first time I had seen the president in person, and he announced his departure from the college minutes later. (Again, I am sure, no connection intended.) There was no mention of the thousands of students I have taught and served and mentored, no mention of the quality of the post-secondary education and corporate training I have designed and delivered, and no mention of the value I have given the college in the advocacy and referrals I have made over the years. Just my name, a row of handshakes, and a pin. Thank heavens I have my students to affirm me! Interesting, too, that the lead speaker said, as educators, we must personalize our contacts with students, uncover their specific strengths, and encourage them to view a hopeful future for themselves. To do so will increase their productivity and success, the expert explained. Well, I am a professional educator who does personalize my teaching to accommodate learning styles, thinking preferences, multiple intelligences, personality indicators, individual skills levels, personal interests.... I guess the message is this: Use my teaching strengths to encourage myself to continue being creative, productive, and valuable! How might my experience reflect on you? Do you neglect to be specific when you recognize your coworkers, your employees, your customers, your students, your children? Tell them what they did that you noticed and admired. If they did a good job, tell them what made it good. If they exhibited calm behavior in a chaotic customer encounter, tell them why you appreciated their demeanor. If they are discouraged or distressed, affirm them and help them remove obstacles. Be specific when you do! Personalize the recognition: it is the best way to ensure continued productivity--even from dedicated professionals like me.

Entitlement

We have all heard discussions about entitlement--specifically, regarding the government social programs, such as Medicare and Social Security, and referring to youth and young adults who believe they are due certain considerations. Yet, recently, I have become aware of a new form of entitlement that appears to come out of amassed resources and ego-centric people. Example i: A public school principal who was proud of hoarding $800,000 while students who needed services such as federally funded breakfast were turned away because they were two minutes late to school and who ignored special education services for students whose undereducated parents did not have the wherewithal to put their requests in writing. Example 2: A construction company boss and multi-millionaire who berated his employees when his dog escaped from the building (and him), who failed to deliver on promises for bonuses, and who created a hostile work environment with unrealistic expectations and temper-tantrums. Example 3: The police officers who forget that not every citizen is a criminal and inmate and that all individuals being detained deserve to be treated with dignity, which includes receiving direct, honest answers to their questions. I have witnessed and countered each example listed above. Some people in power positions think and act like entitled professional bullies. Each of them should resign, and then invest in therapists and coaches to retrain as productive members of society.

Try the Back Door

Thanksgiving weekend 2012--a cold, gusty, gray day in a Minnesota residential playpark--a tiny brother and his small, big sister were swinging in adjacent infant swings. The sister asked to be removed from the swing. The woman with her, faced her and lifter her. The child's snow pants caught on the swing. The woman let the child down in the seat and then lifted her again. Still caught. Again they tried to no avail. Perplexed, the woman looked around for something to stand on as she hoped the extra height would give her leverage or other advantage. Alas, the benches were screwed into the concrete and the family Border Collie refused to be a stepping stool. Frustrated, the woman continued to push the crying brother in his swing to keep him preoccupied and contained while she worked through the dilemma. He was unhappy and unempathetic, and he did not feel the need to cooperate with two fumbling females. Finally, the woman walked around the little girl, said "If the front door doesn't work, try the back door," grabbed the child from behind and under her arms, lifted, and placed the little feet firmly on the playground pebbles. So easy! Now, "try the back door" is a battle cry for creative problem solving where the woman works and where the children live.

Biases: Love and Hate

When I married my second husband, I wanted to play a song by Dolly Parton for my children as part of the ceremony, to include and embrace them in an extended family experience. The Music Director at the church refused to play the song. That song was released in a musical production that starred Dolly and Burt Reynolds, entitled The Best Little Whore House in Texas. After Whitney Houston recorded the song for The Body Guard with Kevin Costner, the song became a great hit. It is the same song, same lyrics, same notes, same beautiful message to a loved one: "I Will Always Love You." How ironic that if I asked for that song today, that same Music Director would play it without reservation. Words can magnify our biases! So, I was pleased to hear my grown daughter tell her little daughter, "In this house, we do not say 'hate.' Think of another word to use to express your displeasure." I would like all homes, schools, and businesses to become hate-free word zones. It could be the beginning of hate-free life zones.

Chosen Words

The American English language continues to evolve to keep pace with our society's needs and technologies. We all use words as tools for connecting with other individuals and groups. As a young mom I asked my son to sweep the sidewalk. He was confused, so I suggested he take the broom and "broom" the sidewalk--which he did. Over the years, that expression remained part of the family lexicon. "Broom" joined waugan (water), ped-e-stare-i-an (pedestrian), pen-in-the-as (pain in the a--), and chevby (heavy). Afterall, many groups of people working under the same roof or in the same industry have a special language that they all understand and use: jargon. When my son was in high school, he and several friends entered the kitchen. "Mom, tell them that you can broom a sidewalk. They say 'broom' is not the correct word." My reply was "Oh, Honey, I am so sorry!" His friends laughed. Years later, my son became a superb concrete finisher and stone mason. Quite a craftsman. He can polish-finish an industrial concrete floor in a multilevel building structure, and he can broom a driveway or sidewalk or patio. You see, one kind of finish is a broom finish that is created with a broad-head broom. By the way, "concrete" (not "cement")is the product resulting from mixing cement (a bonding agent), sand, aggregate, and water. Another clarification: construction workers "pour" concrete while engineers and architects "place" concrete. The selected words demonstrate the preferred perspective: "pour" denotes more water in the mixture which makes it easier to move into place and "place" denotes less water to make the mixture strong and durable. Also, attorneys who advise those construction and engineering professionals warn them against using "expertise," preferring "experience." Apparently, in litigation, "expertise" can cost them a higher settlement with a dissatisfied client. The nuances of language serve specific and peculiar purposes. Choose your words carefully!