Re: A thought I had about language

[Guest guest]

Griff wrote:

>Just because someone can learn to use a specific phrase or two in a

>different language does not make them fluent in that language. For

>example, just because someone can say " faux pas " and " c'est la vie " in

>French does not mean they can understand French. And what many people

>don't realize is that English has several subsets that are languages all

>in themselves, really.

Indeed. When I was in 7th grade, my brain finally tuned in to the

world around me in school and I started hearing what my classmates

said. The problem was, they spoke a language (a form of English) I

could not understand. It was " kid speak, " I suppose. Slang. A very

weird feeling to be surrounded by people speaking in code.

Jane

[Guest guest]

>> And what many people

> >don't realize is that English has several subsets that are languages all

> >in themselves, really.

>

> ... I started hearing what my classmates

> said. The problem was, they spoke a language (a form of English) I

> could not understand. It was " kid speak, " I suppose. Slang. A very

> weird feeling to be surrounded by people speaking in code.

I just don't understand slang, trite phrases, kid speak or new speak. Even if

I can figure it

out I have an aversion to using it. I don't know why. Example: the various

groups use the

term, Aspie. I hate it. Nick names are fun for people but initials and nick

names otherwise

confuse me. If it's Asperger's then it should be called Asperger's. If it's the

republican

party then don't call it the GOP. It causes my brain to stop following the

conversation to

attempt to understand the slang.

Getting back to the alternate form of English spoken in school: When I was in

7th grade I

decided I would confine myself to Webster's Dictionary English to remedy the

confusion of

understanding the " kid speak. " Other students critized and even shunned me for

not using

the slang (which I didn't understand and the kids today probably can't either)

while

teachers and adults complimented me for not using slang.

Leap ahead 35 years: a young coworker told another person I was " the bomb. " I

asked him

why since I have always tried to be nice to him. Both of them collapsed in

laughter. My

wonderful son who has been translating life for me since he was in 7th grade

explained

that it was a compliment.

Poetic license I understand. Metaphor I understand. Not slang.

~Bonnie

[Guest guest]

You know, I've never had a problem with slang. (I'm very good at learning

other languages anyway.) But I have problems with metaphor and " poetic

license. " The jokes go over my head, I don't get sarcasm, etc. But slang

and such I've usually been okay with.

Elayne

http://cablespeed.com/~solinox/index.htm

" One of the most basic rules for survival on any planet is never to upset

someone wearing black leather. This is why protesters against the wearing of

animal skins by humans unaccountably fail to throw their paint over Hell's

Angels. "

> -----Original Message-----

> From: cb_bonham

>

> Poetic license I understand. Metaphor I understand. Not slang.

[Guest guest]

> The jokes go over my head, I don't get sarcasm, etc. But slang

> and such I've usually been okay with.

Some jokes I get.

I don't find funny jokes that make a person or a group the butt of the humor.

It's not

funny and I can't make myself politely laugh. Sometimes this causes silence

sometimes

this causes anger, for the joke teller.

I thought I caught sarcasm but recently I was told otherwise. I take the comment

literally

resulting in the speaker becoming frustrated or greatly amused--to the point of

laughter.

Frustration I know=they don't understand why I didn't act appropriately. The

laughter I

can't explain but it's perferred because I've learned if you leave them

laughing, every thing

is copacetic.

~Bonnie