I was going to write a post about the increasing use of Americanisms in the everyday speech of people from the UK, but I can’t decide where I stand on it. I’ve realised, you see, that I use the phrases ‘sure’ and ‘no problem’ quite a lot. As soon as they leave my lips I feel a small amount of guilt, but not enough to stop me using them time after time. Ultimately, I don’t care enough about doing things ‘properly’. I’m a rebel.
I do respect the English language and its many rules, but I like the fact that I don’t fully understand them. I never paid much attention in school and still have no idea what adverbs, conjunctions or modals are. Nor do I wish to find out. Who cares? The sole purpose of language is communication, and if someone can get their point across effectively then I really don’t think it matters how many rules they break in the process. I want to read prose that sparkles with raw energy, not something that slavishly adheres to a set of cold, archaic principles at the expense of creative infusion. It’s partly true that you need to know the rules before you can break them, but not entirely.
I’m not advocating a total free for all, of course. Bad spelling still irritates me (though I’m prone to mistakes myself) and obviously if everyone started using phone text language it would not be a good development. But the odd stray apostrophe isn’t going to kill anyone and doesn’t indicate a lack of intelligence. Just because English is not somebody’s forte (and I’ve only just learned that forte doesn’t have an accented ‘e’) doesn’t mean that they have nothing to say. And those Americanisms aren’t such a bad thing either – they add a bit of colour to the language. Like, totally.
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7 comments:
hot diggety damn!
c'mon ya big schmuck!
now, why wudcha ever wanna write about creeping americanisms (as opposed to creepy americans, which should really give you something to get your teeth into, just like their bit, fat asses -- ewe! as per josh)?
adverbs, conjunctions and modals (rumor has it gladiator sandals are in this year, but posh and becks specs are just like so last year, btw) are just words for other words anyhoo, so, like whatever man...
so, like great piece an'all graham, and like an even better title dude, and a reallr rad sentence in there too -- '...prose that sparkles with raw energy, not something that slavishly adheres to a set of cold, archaic principles at the expense of creative infusion.' -- but, y'know, like just what was your point already?
Dude, you are, like, so lame. Duh - everyone knows American is the most favorite language in the whole of the world (aka the US). Sucker!
PS Dog, if you could remove my post from above, that would, like, be todally rad. Check it!
gram, dude, like the chili peppers always says put it back, put it back, put it back now, 'cos, y'know, (national) inquiring minds (and nosy gits) need to know what ariane, like, said and then, like, desaid, huh?
and, sure as eggs is eggs, she has to mean like the favoritest language in the whole world (as in 'oh, so, like, mexico isn't in california huh? but they do eat tacos in spain tho', don' they...?'), the laymo...
now, how d'ya likes them apples?
sir,
pls reply to me forthwith (of fifthwithout, or even sixthwhenever) as it appears we are being called upon by the masses (OK, Miss Sherine) to usher in a gentler era of utopian plebiscite politics-replacement for the future of the human race.
yours
ER
so, y'up fr'it or what?
Not really, but don't feel bad.
right, i'll just draw up the new world order all on me lonesome then.
by Chumbawamba, i will sir!
if you understand what someone is saying, that's it- the end. it doesn't matter if they drew a picture while dipping a straw in pudding to convey a thought or used half assed broken english, the magic is connecting. who would you rather hang out with, "editingrequired" or the pudding dipper? i'll see you at the fun one.
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