Snow storms can be a nuisance to everyone, especially to those who need to travel by air. A fifteen hour plane delay is a severe nuisance, but an understandable one. Like a good English major I utilized my full repertoire of vulgar language to denounce this farce of two-three hour update delay intervals. I found ways to occupy myself during the interminable confinement by perusing magazine after magazine, until I came across one article that gave me pause. This article, written by an author that I admittedly instantly forgot, sent a profound message. It was so truthful. I sat down after reading it.
Words are fascinating because they are loaded with a variety of significant meanings. Words express who you are, i.e. if you possess a strong vocabulary, are ignorant, dumb, well-mannered, or discourteous. The words that come out of our collective mouths directly indicate who we are as a person. Yes, words are the gateway to information.Words are how we are judged in society. Either you are well-spoken or you are not. Lingo and slang are of course, idiosyncratic of one's own creativity and verbal style. Now, this article highlighted the usage of three phrases which ultimately culminates in a basic understanding: Language is always evolving, often times for the better, and well, some times for the worse.
According to the article I read in the airport, from the years 2011 to 2013, the most popular phrases and words were, "Literally, Obsessed, and Don't worry." Each word possessed a unique intrinsic value upon how a person wanted to convey themselves. In other words, it was the latest fashion in talking. In 2011, literally was the hot word to use. Using literally in a sentence heightened whatever conversation was going on. It flat out meant that whatever came out of that particular person's mouth was undeniably true. By chance, it also had to be a bold statement, such as, "I literally stuck my head out of a taxi as the driver did a u-turn and hocked a loogie in this dude's face." Saying the word literally gives your statement that extra oomph that is necessary to persuade your friends or audience of your story's validity. More so, the usage of the word literally has a far more acute meaning behind it. Most likely not much is going on in one's life if they must use the word literally to prove that they did so in fact commit such actions. You have to create some form of action. So, with the loogie incident. Saying literally, gives off an air of, tot much went on this year. "Yes, I really did that! Literally- no lie, no joke man. Literally." It really does sound desperate when you listen closely enough.
Now, the following year, 2012 was highlighted by one word, "Obsessed." This one is more for women. "I'm obsessed with that shirt, skirt, outfit, coat, jacket, top, shoes, bracelet, hair, etc." I've heard it all, and I'm sure you have too. Normally it means I like something a lot and want to buy it, or wish I had bought it before you. The ironic and scary part is when the word obsessed is casually used in a one word fashion. Picture this, an attractive woman uploads a photo of herself in which she is wearing her latest outfit. She looks hot and ideal- naturally one of her friends leaves a comment, "OBSESSED!" It leaves me scratching my head, thinking how did we get to this point?
2013 you just left us approximately four weeks ago. Wow, how time flies by! 2013 was considered more a care-free year if you can believe that, but the article surmised that much by including the phrase, "Don't worry." Yes, according to the author, "2013 was a cool year." I agree. Don't worry, we can agree to disagree. See what I just did there? If you walked into a bar last year and could not figure out what drink you wanted to order, chances were your bartender, softly uttered, "don't worry." Now, the author did take one paranoid stance against it, with a "should I be worried," approach.
So there, I read about, "Literally, Obsessed, and Don't worry." After finishing that article, I realized something: it was true! I had many friends who in the past communicated in the above ways toward me. I was never conscious of any those words before, but looking back now, those verbal trends were weird, or are weird if they are still going on today. Only one out of three is apart of my vocabulary.
Don't worry, it's definitely not the first two.
-Gregory Hernandez
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