Facebook and language

Hello, good morning, afternoon or evening, whatever may be the case.Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by. Blogging is much different than facebooking in my opinion. Perhaps a bit more sincere or thought out at more length, similar to writing a letter. I very much enjoy blogging. Now the subject matter at hand.

This facebook is an amazing place for keeping in contact and being aware of those we know both near and far. And, to be completely honest, I find many of the humorous postings get my day off to a laughing start. The political stuff is getting to meso I simply scroll past and put it behind me. Then it comes to posting about various facets of life as a social being and family member. Mot are wonderful, informative and heartwarming posted by people I love and respect. Then comes the aweful, for me anyway, language. More specifically the "F" word. When I see this word, in an otherwise acceptable posting I find it unnecessary and tasteless. Especially when posted by a parent or grandparent, knowing full well it will be read by their children or grandchildren as well as dozens or perhaps hundreds of impressionable young minds. In my mind it is rather disgusting. Their post, their rules, I offer no comment or critique as I am only a guest so I move on as quickly as possible.

I am not without sin here. I have used that word, not often but on occasion. I do not use it in front of kids, women, or people I do not know. I do my best to be a respectful husband, father, grandfather and hopefully role model for others around me. Who more should you be able to trust to lead you in proper, respectful language skills than dad, mom, grandma or grandpa. I don't consider it a compliment to be proud of if any kid told someone that any one of us taught them how to use the "F" word in the best and most wonderful way. Mistakes are mistakes but in my opinion it's just not right and if, intentionally we do teach children language like that there is a terrible price to pay.

Athletes and language

I think I stumbled across the secret to success in college and professional athletics. It's a secret language they use. I discovered it while watching interviews yesterday. Here were three college basketball stars, all of which were on full ride scholarships through college of course, being asked questions by a group of sports reporters. I totally understood the questions. The answers, however were an entirely different matter. Am I that far out of the loop on the progression of the english language in America? I didn't think so but after that interview I wonbdered. College students! Unable to speak understandably or even use words with more than 5 or 6 letters. I'm sure they are intelligent or they wouldn't be allowed in college or a university, right? I mean, scholarships are supposed to involve studying and bringing civilization to a higher level, right? So, in my opinion the only other explanation is that these athletes are using a secret language. Filled with soft R's, absent W's and rolling O's and L's are nearly non-existant, this language is taught to young prospective athletes as well. I know because I've heard it spoken in stores and on streets by guys and gals with a cell phone standing in line. For some reason it seems to have been picked up by a certain criminal element too. Strange isn't it? Athletes and criminals both speaking the same difficult hybrid, slang saturated version of a common language. I can't eplain the reason behind that coincidence. That brings us to some professional athletes and their secret language too. They are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the least and go up to millions of dollars a year and I can't understand half of what they say because I wasn't taught the secret language in school or at home. I wasn't hardly aware of it while I was growing up anyway. I guess I was leading a sheltered life and that's why I'm not a high payed athlete. After all I quit high school football because I figured if I was going to work that hard I was going to get a job and be paid for it. Those that know the secret language would have probably explained how if I talked different I would get paid handsomely. It must be that I simply missed a very important part of my schooling by neglecting to learn the athletic language. I mean, with my limited knowledge I think they just sound ignorant, arrogant and stupid. That's how little I know.

Language and being ten years old.

This short story is an example of the type of thing that occupies the mind of a typical ten year old kid. Learning to speak another language really sounds cool at that age, especially when you've been unable to get a handle on spanish, german or french. Exactly who put this language together obviously had a great deal of time on their hands and a very short priority list. There is a legend going around that this particular language actually saved the lives of a group of soldiers while being questioned and incarcerated in Germany during the second world war. Have a little fun with it. After all, there is still a little of a ten year old kid left in us somewhere no matter our age.

Ister may able Gay ad hay a ay eak lay in ay e thay oof ray over ay is hay ining day oom ray, o say e hay alled cay a ay epairman ray. "en why id day ou yay otice nay e thay eak lay? e thay epairman ray inquired ay.

Ister may able Gay owled scay. "ast lay ight nay, en whey it ay ook tay e may o tway ours hay o tay inish fay y may oup say!"

So there it is. If you can decifer this language you are ready to enter the 5th grade or save a group of captives. You also qualify as a rather fun type of person and probably will use this to resurrect a failing conversation or write a letter to someone you really want to frustrate. Admirable qualities, even if you are older than ten........Enjoy your newfound skill in linguistics.......................Joe

(P.S. In case you've forgotten, it's pig latin.)