Language LIVES!

A debate has been circulating for some time that language is dying...or worse, DEAD! But I witnessed something quite fascinating in my Year 9 class last Friday that suggests Language LIVES! The students were working in groups to create a stop motion animation using the good ol technique- Cut and Paste! Their main character was at first a tumbleweed, but then a girl started making this little man in a black shirt, with tight black jeans, a red bandanna around his neck and spiky black hair that fell all over his face. "He's an EMO," she said, to the delight of the rest of the group. Then she proceeded to write EMOs suck on his jumper- the poor little guy. I followed their conversation as each of the group members- 8 or so, had a go at using this new term EMO.
"He's such an EMO"
"He needs EMO shoes"
"EMOs are dickheads" and so on...
Then one of the boys buries his head in his hands and says can everyone just stop saying EMO so much and they all laughed. They were experimenting with language. They were trying a word out on their tongues. Hearing what it sounded like when they said it. Grouping it with other words and seeing how it fit into sentences. They were gauging the responses of the rest of the group and making sure they were fitting the word into the right context. Most importantly, they were flashing the fact that they knew what EMO meant. They were in with the word and the understanding...and the inclusion that this ensured within the group. The quieter "geeky" kids didn't try and use the words. They just laughed along quietly with those socially dominant characters that did.

So, Mr Bill Bryson (and Grandma), you might think that language is dying, and you even had me convinced for a while. But I am starting to think that it is not dying, just reincarnating. It has taken on a form that doesn't have long words, numerous syllables and never seems to mean what it is...it is a world of language where abbreviations are common and words like EMO are cool.

Now I have a decision to make. I've looked up the meaning of EMO on the web(http://www.fourfa.com/ ). I had gathered on Friday that is what linked to goth, with some differences. Now my decision is whether to be the daggy teacher who tries to link it into casual conversation to show the kdis that I too know what EMO means. Or do I just let this one ride and act like the kids have got one over me.... hmmm? Afterall, isn't that why new words arise?

Until next blog,
M x