Parenting Magazine | Language and Your Kids

First I read an interesting post by a friend of mine on MyLot about his distaste for “text speak” i.e. LOL, ROLF, XMAS 2MRO. Then I heard a very interesting bit on NPR this morning about kids and cursing and it got me to wondering about how I am going to deal with the subject of language when the baby is older. After pondering the situation for a while I came to the conclusion I speak a lot more languages than I give myself credit for. I have my everyday vernacular, I have the high etiquette I use in the necessary social situations, and I am semi fluent in “text speak” While all of them are based in English, they are distinctive languages each with their appropriate forum.

I agree that everyone needs to learn the high etiquette of social speak. I disagree with the notion that it is the only language that matters. I also disagree with the notion of censuring kids who use any other version of English when high etiquette social speak isn’t necessary. Just because an adult can’t make heads or tails of “text speak” or forgotten they were once kids who had their own vulgar vernacular that included controversial words like neat, damn, awesome, suck, fly, groovy, rad, and cool. While “Biatch” and “Ho” are words I could do without hearing, this generation has however given up most of the derogatory terms used for race that I don’t think I need to list.

Vulgarity when you get right down to it really means any speech of the common folk, of which I am a proud member. The term was originally meant to be derogatory towards those of the lower social class. Vulgar is traditionally a word used only by those with too high of an opinion of themselves, in reference to the rest of us. Vulgar is a word high and mighty snobs developed, unlike the phrase “fuck you” which is pretty what I have to say to anyone who equates economic status with the kind of person you are.

Much like Latin evolved into the romance languages, English is evolving into many distinct forms from the root. While many of the branches die out as time passes, many of the new words get shared across the branches and live on in consecutive generations each taking on a new meaning for the branch. Yesterdays curse words become tomorrows colloquial.

While it will be many generations before we are ready to accept “fuck” as one of the acceptable words for our kids to say, it has come a long way already. Is it okay for your kids to say it? That is a question you will have to decide for yourself. I, for one, would be far more horrified if he spoke like his Klan bred church going cousins, than I ever would be of him reciting George Carlin’s complete “Seven Dirty Words” skit during show and tell. (Honestly if he did that I would be very stern and unhappy at the school then take him out for ice cream)

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