How language evolves through Pop Culture
Introduction Shakespeare had immensly influenced the English language in the seventeenth century with his sonnets and plays but today it is Pop Culture that has a profound impact. As society evolves so does language. Language is changing as the way people use it changes and there is a reason we do not talk in Shakespearian English anymore. New words and phrases are constantly being coined while others are dying out. Changes in language have become so rapid that it is extremly difficult to communicate without being up to date with the new terminology that it is neccessary for the modern world. Not only does it show proficiency of language it shows belonging to a certain culture and society. Slang and …show more content…
It provides a special kind of historical and cultural background that will be passed on from generation to generation. There are so many things we can learn about an era and people of that era through jargon. Slang that is widely used in one country might be practically unheard of in another and while some slang words dissapear after a few generations, others have been a part of the English language for decades. The phrase 23 skidoo was an important slang term used in the 1920s. Women in long skirts would pass by the Flat Iron Building that is located on 23rd Street in New York City. As they would walk by strong gusts of wind would cause their skirts to fly up exposing their legs. This was so popular and attracted many men who would crowd around the area waiting for the next show to such an extent that the police often had to be involved in order to disperse the crowds. Therefore, being forced to leave quickly became known as the '23 skidoo'. Words and phrases change frequently, with each new generation come different meanings. For example, in 1973 'social network' was added to the dictionary. It meant the physical activity of networking in a social atmosphere. In the 1990s the term began to be used as virtual engagement which became its official definition in 1998 and is used even
Introduction Shakespeare had immensly influenced the English language in the seventeenth century with his sonnets and plays but today it is Pop Culture that has a profound impact. As society evolves so does language. Language is changing as the way people use it changes and there is a reason we do not talk in Shakespearian English anymore. New words and phrases are constantly being coined while others are dying out. Changes in language have become so rapid that it is extremly difficult to communicate without being up to date with the new terminology that it is neccessary for the modern world. Not only does it show proficiency of language it shows belonging to a certain culture and society. Slang and …show more content…
It provides a special kind of historical and cultural background that will be passed on from generation to generation. There are so many things we can learn about an era and people of that era through jargon. Slang that is widely used in one country might be practically unheard of in another and while some slang words dissapear after a few generations, others have been a part of the English language for decades. The phrase 23 skidoo was an important slang term used in the 1920s. Women in long skirts would pass by the Flat Iron Building that is located on 23rd Street in New York City. As they would walk by strong gusts of wind would cause their skirts to fly up exposing their legs. This was so popular and attracted many men who would crowd around the area waiting for the next show to such an extent that the police often had to be involved in order to disperse the crowds. Therefore, being forced to leave quickly became known as the '23 skidoo'. Words and phrases change frequently, with each new generation come different meanings. For example, in 1973 'social network' was added to the dictionary. It meant the physical activity of networking in a social atmosphere. In the 1990s the term began to be used as virtual engagement which became its official definition in 1998 and is used even