Now how credible is a show that cannot even use a full sentence, or even
one that makes sense nonetheless (talk to you never; really?). These
initialisms are not just a phase of our generation, but are making their way
into the Oxford Dictionary Online, and not just Urban Dictionary. These
initialisms will stick through generations, and as we get lazier, they will
become a common part of our everyday language usage. Imagine turning in a paper
that contained the phrase "Idk what this means but its w.e." I could
only imagine the heart attack my professor would have.
These "words" are also developing, as other commonly used
words, double meanings. On Facebook I notice before someone update their
status, they will insert FTK before their thoughts. I never knew what that
meant. Here at Penn State I knew it meant "for the kids," as I became
engaged in thon. However, that same word can mean "for the kill."
Imagine trying to learn all these initialisms along with the meaning of all the
other words we are expected to know as we grow older. It's like a wildfire;
everyday there seems to be a new one sprouting and spreading on Facebook. I
feel as though many do not know what they even mean, but just the usage of them
makes people feel accepted to the new stands and norms of society.
I can't say I don’t abbreviate a lot of things. I am in the Air Force
Reserve, and half our sentences are abbreviations. However, there should be a
limit as to what is accepted in dictionaries, and what is pure slang.
Well, I've gtg, ttyl!
This is pure genius! I am always trying to figure out what new initialisms are and sometimes I even look them up on line. You took a perculier stand on this saying that we have to learn so much on top of the words we already know. I am more worried about the language being eradicated and existing solely on initialsms, Thats the real nightmare. Lol gtg
ReplyDeleteYou mention "there should be a limit as to what is accepted in dictionaries..." So what does inclusion in a a dictionary MEAN, then? This is an interesting rhetorical act: recognizing some words as official, or good words, and others as not. Regardless of whether we approve of this action or not, either opinion has real consequences.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a firm opinion one way or the other. Here's another perspective, though, by a contemporary lexicographer:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/erin_mckean_redefines_the_dictionary.html
I definitely think it is annoying that these initialisms are becoming more of a commonplace in verbal and written discourse. But thinking about it, this is the way that languages change. When the Australians and British and Americans all speak the same language, why do we not say the same exact things? When the Spanish and Mexicans and most of South America use the same language, why is there different conjugations for the same infinitve word? And it is through this process of starting a trend and it becoming integrated into the language that it happens.
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