"Know What I'm Sayin'?"
Let me ax you a question.
Why are we ruining a perfectly good language…
American English?
The news readers on TV and radio used to speak correct English.
Now they mangle it.
So do politicians, and the judges on the court TV programs.
Maybe we need better role models.
Ignorance has become hip.
“Realtor” is pronounced “real-ter”.
Not “real-a-tore”.
“Comptroller” is said the same as “controller”.
Not “Comp-troller”.
“Nuclear” is not “nucular”.
“Jewelry” is “jewel-ry”,
not “joolery”.
And on and on.
Maybe it annoys me
because I was made to learn right way in grammar school.
And maybe that’s why they called it “grammar” school.
If I said “ain’t”, I was in trouble.
Now I just use it in some songs.
What’s wrong with this sentence?
“If I’d of knowed I could of rode I would of went.”
Everything!
And yet I hear stuff like that every day
from people who have gone to college.
Our language is the best way to communicate with each other,
outside of ESP and petting.
It also gives others their impression of us.
It’s an asset to not sound dumb.
I hear some strange language corruptions
like saying “shtreet” for “street”.
Where did that come from?
People with limited vocabularies
are forced to express their feelings and ideas
with swear words,
or repeating stale expressions like “Totally awesome!”
Many people say they either love or hate things.
Nothing in between.
My teachers and family put a lot of pressure on me
to learn our language,
so I don’t want to be the only one talking this way.
Know what I’m sayin’?
Copyright © July 24, 2005 by Jack Blanchard. All rights reserved.
