specialized language
Creating new languages
Tweet From time to time, new languages develop in response to local needs. For example, a deaf sign language was developed in Central America by a small community which was isolated from other deaf communities. A new kind of sign language is developing in the Occupy protests. To read about it, here is the link: […]
September 11th, 9-11, 9/11 – Words from our worst day
Tweet We still are not sure how to refer to that awful day — is it “nine eleven” or “September 11th?” As a society, we’re still vacillating. In 2001, 9-11 (or equivalents) was the Word of the Year, according to the American Dialect Society. In 2002, it was Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). What do […]
Talking to Grandma
Tweet We use different language forms when speaking with different people, or in different groups. You don’t usually ask Grandma, “Yo, whassup?” Over the Thanksgiving holiday, various family members might watch a football game, get together over dinner, and go to church. While watching the football game, the decibel level is likely to spike […]