The English language is changing. Here are some examples:
People used to say: "Can I have a Coke please?"
People now say: "Can I get a Coke please?"
People used to say: "How are you?" "I'm fine."
People now say: "How are you?" "I'm good."
There are other examples, not to speak of the countless utterances which characterise "young persons'" speech, like "Cool" (esp. when pronounced "kewl"), "Yesssss." (a la Bridget Jones), "Wicked" (esp. when pronounced "wuckud").
I'll write them all down when I think of them. One day.
Why is this? Americanization? I feel like the English I speak is a outmoded dialect, and that language change is being driven by a younger agegroup than me who are more influenced by American culture.
Another polarization seems to me to be this. Young men (of whatever social group) speak more and more what I think of as Estuary English, to indicate solidarity with "The Lads". It's a lowest common denonimator strategy. On the other hand, young women (of whatever social group) seem to gravitate towards what I think of as more aristocratic speech.
Result: conversations between young people seem to me to be polarized into gruff conversations between gritty labourers (the lads), and the braying whine of Sloaney women.
Conclusion: I am a warped and twisted sociopath who is overinfluenced by superficial styles and is unable to see the real, no doubt lovable person beneath.
People used to say: "Can I have a Coke please?"
People now say: "Can I get a Coke please?"
People used to say: "How are you?" "I'm fine."
People now say: "How are you?" "I'm good."
There are other examples, not to speak of the countless utterances which characterise "young persons'" speech, like "Cool" (esp. when pronounced "kewl"), "Yesssss." (a la Bridget Jones), "Wicked" (esp. when pronounced "wuckud").
I'll write them all down when I think of them. One day.
Why is this? Americanization? I feel like the English I speak is a outmoded dialect, and that language change is being driven by a younger agegroup than me who are more influenced by American culture.
Another polarization seems to me to be this. Young men (of whatever social group) speak more and more what I think of as Estuary English, to indicate solidarity with "The Lads". It's a lowest common denonimator strategy. On the other hand, young women (of whatever social group) seem to gravitate towards what I think of as more aristocratic speech.
Result: conversations between young people seem to me to be polarized into gruff conversations between gritty labourers (the lads), and the braying whine of Sloaney women.
Conclusion: I am a warped and twisted sociopath who is overinfluenced by superficial styles and is unable to see the real, no doubt lovable person beneath.
