What language tells us - ?


Original Book (source: apols to
Amazon,
I seem to've leant out my copy!


Language, as we writers are aware, changes and develops over time. 


But does it also, sometimes, move in circles, returning to where it was first used? I wonder if you've noticed the appearance of some strangely-sounding little catch-phrases in the past few years?  A bit vintage. Maybe used by our aunts? These seem to fall into categories. Reviving a word that has been abandoned as ‘un-cool’ and ‘old-fashioned’ for a while – for example ‘What gives you joy?’ Joy hasn’t been a popular, familia word for decades. Now, suddenly, it has reappeared and is everywhere.


‘Be kind’ and ‘kindness’ share this category – was ‘kindness’  much used, before the lockdowns? But after Caroline Flack left her note, #BeKind became, as it's called, a meme. I thought it had all come from that: but looking on Google discovered that a ‘Be Kind Movement’ had begun in schools, in 2015. Whatever, Flack’s last words to her public, in 2020—when everyone was feeling ‘gobsmacked’  (an out of date modern word, which had been on hold a while) or even ‘beyond surprised’ (see below) by realising the seriousness of Covid—‘be kind’ and ‘kindness’ went pretty viral.


And real Kindness did even increase, for a while!


A third cosy phrase, which conjures up a picture of maiden aunts using cosy, comforting wording (especially in times of trouble such as Covid) is the phrase ‘it's the little things’.  Used alongside ‘kindness’ and ‘joy’ we may well all soon be reaching for the crochet hook (and pink yarn). Suppose we really took these seriously?


A fourth entrant to the category is more of a concept than a word: that of being spontaneously overwhelmed by weeping, leading this piece towards another category, that of the exaggerated expression of emotions. Over time, crying hasn’t been socially acceptable among the English. I’m not sure when this changed, but far back enough as the first series of Call the Midwife. With being moved to tears now fashionably acceptable, there are several alternative descriptions: I reached for the tissues; I welled up; a tear came to my eye; that brought a tear to my eye.  Or, simply, it made me cry. Is this real crying? Or are people using the phrases, but, in reality, simply moved (as used to be said) by the pathos of the plot? The jury is out, here, as I've not been with anyone while watching CTM—yet!


Moving on though, excessive emotion has emerged in Britain, replacing the ‘stiff-upper-lip’ and ‘repressed personality’. Now, in a resumé or bio, we’re expected to express our enormous enthusiasm, as in ‘I’m passionate about’, and our looking forward to something as ‘I’m so excited!’ or ‘I can't wait!’ or we are even ‘beyond excited’, ‘beyond grief’, ‘beyond surprised’! The question is, of course, phrased appropriately, ‘What excites you?’ or ‘What gives you joy?’ (I for one would have a hard time with ‘What gives you joy?’ since joy hasn’t been on my radar long enough—although ‘what do you enjoy doing?’ might come my way. Maybe interviewers employ the latest phrases to gauge whether one is up to date? Or how much of a dinosaur have you become?


To go with this level of feelings, it seems we need to know how ‘beyond belief’ clever, creative, and generally perfect our entertainer and entertainments, the ones we can’t wait to attend, will be. So, plays, concerts, art exhibitions, book launches—whatever they are, must only come from the work of ‘award-winning’ creatives. In fact, if we’re not award-winning, we may as well be appearing quite wrongly, and unready. Our presence on the gallery wall, the stage, or as a soloist or a novelist is questionable. We're regarded as if in pyjamas, with the text of the book or play still going the rounds for acceptance, the musical grades not yet achieved by the composer. Or even, without (special, designer) clothes.


As a contrast, everyone who has been caught in dishonest dealing in high(ish) or at least responsible office may indeed deny the accusations, using the standard well-known phrase ‘denied all wrongdoing’. While those who ‘misbehave’ or ‘make mistakes’ will be described as ‘disappointing’. Striking by underpaid key workers, or over poor safety regulations, now ‘disappoint’ the government. It sounds like we’re living in the world of parent-child relationships. (‘I cried. I’m so excited! I can’t wait! Maybe some of us are?)


Finally there is the downward move of technical words like ‘mental health’. This now, rather than meaning serious issues such as clinical depression, psychosis, or schizophrenia (possibly controlled by psychiatric drugs), has seamlessly been downgraded to include a multitude of emotional problems. (Can we blame Covid, perhaps?) Sadly, loneliness, fear, and general psychic malaise or unease indeed descend on many of us when insecurity, job losses, and isolation are rife. But the shifting of the phrase ‘(bad for my) mental health’ has blurred definitions and upset the seriously suffering, unable to work/function in society, mentally ill, who quite rightly are unimpressed and really annoyed. Yoga or Pilates often can lift our moods, but not when it’s serious, real mental illness. Those who suffer it already know they won’t be cured by a brisk daily walk, healthy exercise class, or maybe even by volunteering. And this downgrade is, of course, is a variety of ‘upside down’ version of the exaggerated emotional response...


Isn’t language important? Isn’t it slithery? And doesn’t it go hand in hand with fashion and what’s called presentation of self? No offence if you use these words/phrases/concepts—fashions come and go: I’m a bit of a people-watcher (aren’t many of us writers?), and the antics of the human group can be, taken lightheartedly, very amusing!





Comments

Susan Price said…
This struck a chord! (Don't know the date of that expression.)

I've been noticing the frequent use of, "Oh my days!" by all sorts of people: young, old, male, female. It strikes me as curiously old-fashioned. 'Crikey!' seems to be making a come-back too. We shall soon all be talking like Wodehouse characters.
Yes, Susan, to match the Vintage clothes and up-cycled furniture! Oh what jolly fun! I've not heard the phrase you mention, yet - but I daresay it'll turn up soon here... Meanwhile, yes, our trendiest son certainly uses 'crikey' and has done for some years - )(he's 41). Thanks for your comments.
Peter Leyland said…
Mari, I just thought of a beautiful one. Eden Baylee said on here ages ago about one of my pieces, 'It's not too shabby', and it took me a while to realise that it was a compliment in the modern idiom. I slowly creak into the new gear.

Thanks for the interesting post on language.
Griselda Heppel said…
You have hit on a really important aspect of current language trends and gosh yes, language matters. Obviously it's good not to repress our emotions too much... but now the opposite is occurring, and emotionally-laden words are scattered like confetti, debasing their meaning and even making them brilliant weapons of manipulation. 'Be kind' is a case in point: of course we should all be kind to each other but, surprise, surprise, many of those who use the term clearly think it's just one way, and use it to shut down discussion. Schoolchildren now complain to teachers that too much homework is bad for their mental health, making it hard for teachers to stretch them academically without being accused of cruelty. Yesterday a senior police officer described the family of a murdered child as being 'devastated, inconsolable and heartbroken.' Just one of those words would have conveyed their trauma infinitely better than using all three.

Oh yes, I use 'crikey' and 'cripes'. I've heard young people say 'Oh my days' and I love it. But if I put it in a book, would anyone believe it? Probably not.

Great post, Clare!
I am not at all fond of the over-use of emotions, and I can't help linking it to the terrible fights that keep breaking out on Twitter.
Anyway, that wasn't what I wanted to say! The post just reminded me of a discussion that took place recently in a Facebook group, in fact - it's quite an amicable group and this was one of the closest things to an argument I've seen there. It started with someone complaining about the use of the word 'gotten' instead of 'got' in books set in the UK. I think the usage might well have been by an American writer, and there was a huge pile-on of people who hated it. However, I realised I had heard one of my friends use the word 'gotten' in conversation quite frequently, and when I thought about it I realised her family had probably been Scots-speaking, and sure enough when I looked it up I found that it had only gone out of use in Scots relatively recently, in the 1930s or so. I don't really like to see it in a contemporary novel but I suppose this might be a case where the spoken and written languages diverge. I don't think I've heard any of my other friends using it and it's quite likely dying out anyway.

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