Yesterday was strange. I went out to lunch with the ladies, but because I’m not being very adventurous with food yet, from the food standpoint it was pretty boring. It’s been a long time since we hung out together, and I saw clearly how important maintaining consistent connection is between people. I also got to remember what an unrelatable freak I am. OH well.
On the way home Elizabeth expressed some opinions that I would have been better off not hearing — the “he, she, they” fracas and objecting to using feminine adjectives such as “beautiful” to describe boys, but I like her very much so I just said, “Well, you know, Elizabeth, we’re old. This isn’t our world now except to enjoy it as well as we can. It’s THEIR world now, and if they want to do something grammatically incorrect with pronouns, who cares?”
I know perfectly well that I’m not on the public pulse, and I’m OK with it, but sometimes, like now, when my resources are low, it’s tiring.
There are a lot of things about the current use of language I don’t like — phrases using the passive voice like, “You are loved” basically just says, “Someone, somewhere, who knows who, possibly me but maybe not, loves you.” “Gift” as a verb? Makes my teeth itch. “Reach out” — hate it, and I have frequent contact with someone who uses every egregious term of the modern era. I like her, so I don’t pay attention — but I notice.
Once home, I got Bear alone and we headed out to the Refuge for refuge. Not much snow left, but Bear found one decent sized chunk within reach. And, reluctant to criticize the ONLY opportunity, she mentioned that it was pretty hard. There were so many good smells and she had all the leisure in the world (until dark) to savor them. The light was beautiful, the Sangres shimmered in the distance under a dusting of new snow. It’s getting cold now in the Bark of Beyond and it will get colder. It’s the time of year when I get up, look at the thermometer for outside and say, “Yay! Two digits!”
The dogs are both VERY furry at this point. 😀
The word today is “terete” and while I respect the Rag Tag Daily prompt, I got nothing, even after looking up the word to learn what it means. It’s not that it’s not a cool word, it’s just that in the frozen tundra of my current life, anything botanical is a subject for imagination and mine is pretty dormant right now. I’ll do better next time. 💚
Stream of Tedium — and Language
“Summer is the season of inferior sledding” - Inuit proverb 
I think the word usage that bothers me most right now is “effort” used as a verb. In a report of “breaking news,” reporters often say “we are efforting to learn what happened,” or some such context! I’m glad you were able to finish the day with a good walk with Bear
‘Breaking news’ might be another. I love watching David Muir on the evening news, but every single night is breaking news. Why isn’t it just ‘news?’ It’s mostly new to me.
Yes — they all have “breaking news.” I think that’s just a way to say “Our news is newer than theirs!”
Oh my god effort as a verb? I’m no, no, no, no. The word “try” is MORE than adequate. And “breaking news”? Lucky me, I don’t watch the news so I don’t know what’s breaking. In a way I’m most concerned by the audience that perpetuates this idiocy.
I agree — I get that language changes from time to time, but what are we teaching the next couple of generations with these blatant usages?!
Seriously, who cares? Their world will be completely alien to us. When I read one of my favorite 19th century essayists I think, “what would he do here?” I thought, also, about a sign beside the elevators at SDSU. It was a rectangle with a smaller rectangle drawn inside it with a smiley face and the words “Please silence while in the the library.” My mom would have NO idea that was a phone and if someone told her, she’d be amazed at the reality of carrying our phones around in our pockets.
Oh, Martha–this made me laugh. There were so many phrases at work that made my teeth itch. I know ‘team’ is the big thing, but all the ‘be a team player,’ ‘help out your teammates,’ etc, just got on my nerves.
And ‘reach out?’ Oh, yes. We reached out to our clients and, of course, to our teammates. 😆
Not to worry, though. You are loved, Martha. 🥰🤣
🤣🤪 You are loved too, Lois. I just wanted to reach out and let you know that. No idea WHO loves you, but somebody must. Oh Teddy just raised his paw so you’re solid there. I hate the “team player” idea — that usually comes down from some supervisor who ISN’T. Remember that egregious, “There is no ‘I’ in team” thing…gawd help us…
hahaha! Well, thank goodness for Teddy! 😍😂
❤️🐾
“…we’re old. This isn’t our world now except to enjoy it as well as we can. It’s THEIR world now, and if they want to do something grammatically incorrect with pronouns, who cares?”
I shall save that and savor it forever. Or at least until I forget about it. My memory isn’t what it used to be.
Breaking news means nothing anymore
My latest grammar peeve is when did starting all sentences with the word so become a thing?
I am sorry I picked something difficult this week Martha but your contribution is always welcome 😀😀
My brain isn’t always what it used to be and today is one of the bad days. It’s not you; it’s me. 🙂
I am finding it much the same getting my head started some days these days.
This getting old is not much fun
I understand the alternative isn’t much fun, either. 😉
👍
Martha I’ve been so busy that I’ve completely missed commenting on this – which I feel compelled to do! I’m so glad that Bear found some lingering snow even if it was hard (and probably not conducive for rolling in). Mochi is a short haired breed but she is getting a thicker coat too – I predict a very cold winter!! Anyway language being dynamic is always going to be changing – I’m trying to keep up but it isn’t always easy…
Yeah, I don’t really care what people do with language. Since I earned my living with it and still, I care about it, but I also know I’m not the arbiter of anything. Language has fashion just like clothes and now bell-bottoms are coming back. 😀