Who could have predicted we would be living in an EMOGI-NIZED world? Granted, I do not often think about the evolution of language, actually I have never thought about it until today; but whatever. Anyway, hey, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! STOP!! Before you click out of your preconceived notion that this is nothing but a boring blog, rest assured I am not talking about sentence structure, grammar usage or even spelling. I am here, once again, to bring the obscure to the forefront.
A long time ago (1999), in a far-away land (Japan), the first emoji was released. Around 2008 these crafty designs were added to mobile apps and popularity grew exponentially. History and communication were forever redirected.
Language and communication are fluid, changing and yes, evolutionary. At one time, proper English was expected in both the business world and social circles; however, the introduction of slang changed the rules. The first documented use of slang dates back to 1699 when British criminals used a style of English called "Thieves' Cant" to plan crimes in secret. Centuries passed and the use of slang increased and transcended borders. It wouldn't be long before slang speak became the mantra of youth culture, a proclamation of individualism, and a form of rebellion.
Culture soon became defined by slang phrases that included, "Cut a Rug" (40's), "Hipster" (50's), "Far-Out" (60's), "Peace Out" (70's), "Tubular" (80's). and "Booyah" (90's). To the dismay of English teachers everywhere, slang was here to stay, or so we thought. That is until texting came on the scene. Texting changed our way of thinking and speaking. Although texting was invented in 1984, it didn't become the norm until around 1999. Who needed spelling or grammar, when we have short speak, a.k.a. acronyms. From BTW (By the Way), IDK (I Don't Know), and ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) to STFU (Nope, not going there). Anyway, you get the picture. Texting became integrated into our daily lives. So much so, we could not even be bothered with using an entire word. This became evident when Okay was replaced by (K).
These days, social media, and yes, even business emails often show a mix of phrasing, text speak and Emojis. With Emojis, we do not even have to use words at all. IMO (pun intended), the use of emojis allow us to avoid real emotions. We simply add a smiley face, frown face, laughing face, surprised face, sad face or even praying hands, and then move on to the next post. We barely remember the person or issue, if we remember it at all. In a world of expanded technology, intended to bring us closer and improve human connection, somewhere along the way, we have become more distant and disconnected than ever before. We use the phrase "work life balance", when in actuality we have reduced it to "work". Today, take a look around you. Whether at work, running errands, or staring at your surroundings if you're retired, what do you see? The picture is not pretty.
So, what can we do? Maybe, just maybe, we can try to bring back human connection. It's time to stop blaming COVID. Yes, that evil monster changed us in ways we could never have imagined, but it is time to move forward. The way we interact today does not have to be a permanent state of existence. Think about this for a second. How often do you actually see and/or talk with friends and family? Text speak, social media, and emojis have replaced genuine human interaction. Laughter, and in person conversations are on the decline. People are busy, tired, frustrated, and in many cases, isolated.
Change is not easy, but change can begin with little things like smiling at one another, saying hello, holding a restaurant door open for someone, showing genuine empathy for one another and making an effort to make someone around you smile or better yet, LOL (again, pun intended). Laughter is contagious. Let's spread it around.
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This was great!! Keep them coming!!!