Two Languages Called English

 

I learned recently that children are not being taught to read  or write using cursive writing. What an outrage! Why shouldn’t today’s children suffer the same pain as us older folks when we had to struggle in learning two different systems of writing? I remember Mrs. Gillom in the 1^st grade trying to explain how this A was the same as this A and this z was the same as this z. The letters in the two systems didn’t look the same, but they were supposed to make the same sound. It didn’t make sense to me, but a lot of things didn’t make sense at that time, same as now. My classmates s and I struggled through the 1^st and 2^nd grade lessons to understand  that we had two systems of writing and by God we were going to learn both, come hell or high water. So we did. And now, after all these years of using both systems, we are told that learning both systems of writing for today’s kids is a waste of time since everyone is using computers or telephones with this A instead of this A. I suppose the educators who decide such things are correct, that it is a waste of time to learn both systems, but it doesn’t make me feel any better since I trusted Mrs. Gillom all those years ago.

I find that today I use a mix of both cursive and printing when I write something by hand, which is rare for me. One of the reasons for the rarity is the decreasing legibility of my handwriting as my pen or pencil  nowadays seems to have a mind of its own. Surely, it is not just me losing some fine motor skills as result of getting older.  

One of the other differences I find between my age group and those considerably younger is in the increasing use of impolite words in our written language; using what we called swearing in everyday written discourse. It  is especially common for today’s younger set to use certain swear words in writing. This happens, from both men and women, seemingly without regard for the audience who will see or listen to their words, perhaps even their parents.

I mentioned both men and women because after I became fluent in adult language, I came to understand that swearing was the exclusive domain of men and used only in the presence of other men and boys; by its exclusive use among all men (except, of course, for those in the ministry), we manly types were taught that women were too polite and too sensitive to undertake the use of coarse language. even in the need for precise descriptions of bodily functions. I am certain that my mother never in her life used a swear word. Even words that covered certain body functions were too coarse for her use, so she invented other words as substitutes. As a consequence, none of us in my family ever farted; rather, we released the occasional “poo-gee-bar” and everyone within hearing laughed at our embarrassment.

Not all Americans followed such practices as my family as I had assumed. I learned only recently that some early Americans used coarse language rather matter-of-factly. One of the pamphlets I purchased in Philadelphia was a tract authored by Benjamin Franklin. The title: Fart Proudly.

I would like to imagine that social media is one of the reasons for the use of awful language, but not all. Our President is one of those who seems unable to moderate his language in the presence of those like me, who are offended by such things. He seems to have several favorite expressions that he uses in speeches without concern for his audience. I have heard him talk of so and so being an SOB, and using other, equally abusive terms. His Tweets also are written without any limitations on the foul language that was formerly used only in private, whispered conversations among men.

Now, women and children seem to regard swearing as their privilege once they learn to tweet or post or ‘instagram.’ Even those words that I thought were nearly universally banned, such as the ‘F’ word, appear to be fair game for most everyone, but not me and my peers who were taught to have a little more sense in judging the appropriateness of certain words in polite circles, LOL.

Of course, we should all understand that language changes over time. New words are invented, and old words discarded as their usage declines amidst the release of new technologies. The internet, with its rapid double-thumbed approach, seems to be a stimulant in changing our language. One of these changes seems to be the common use of formerly forbidden swear words, for what purpose I am uncertain.

Here is a single example of how some words can become commonplace.

A long time ago when farming was an integral part of the lives of most people, soil fertility was of paramount importance. Unfortunately, no one knew about fertilizers until a chance event occurred when mariners scraped bird guano from some rocky barrens on desolate islands in the ocean. They brought the odoriferous solids to the civilized world to learn that Eureka! the soils thus treated produced copious quantities of vegetables. The first fertilizer was found. Soon a rapid trade began as mariners began selling the guano everywhere. And then the worst happened. The nitrogen-rich guano got wet on one particularly nasty voyage, fermented to produce alcohol, and then exploded when a mariner lit his pipe near the end of a long voyage. The new fertilizer industry quickly moved to protect their financial interests and advised all shippers to implement means to avoid the guano from getting wet during transit.

How to do this in the hold of a ship? The answer was to ensure that the guano was never on the bottom of the hold where water often accumulated during long voyages. Thereafter, dispatchers always advised shippers to keep the guano above water levels. “Ship high in transit” was the frequent reminder stenciled on shipping containers. Of course, it was soon abbreviated: “SHIT.” And another swear word was added to our lexicon. LMAO. The world goes on and on despite what I think, although I’m still angry about learning both A’s and Z’s.