Laziness of Language

I recommend Rob's Words for improving your command of the English language.

Now Steven Pinker's books are another gold mine; I started with Words And Rules , the 1999 edition whose spine is held together with a strip of duct tape.

The title of this page is based on how and why languages change over any period, at least, to my understanding.

(a) Speaking and Listening (mouth and ears) are natal skills. Most living creatures communicate with sound waves. Cows moo, dogs bark (or whimper). To the best of my knowledge Homo Sapiens is the only species of living matter that uses communication by the recorded sound, that is, writing and reading (hands and eyes).

We are the only species that is sent to school to learn how to read, and how to write. It matters not whether we store our thoughts on chips carved out of stone, or dried ink on parchment. Well, nowadays on sound waves embedded in wax or magnetic film.

(b) The muscles of the mouth especially are slow by comparison with the nerves of the ears, and more so by the speed of transmission by the eyes. Reading and listening are both faster than speaking.

(c) It follows that the more we can speed up speaking, the more new ideas we can cram in a given period. Your Elevator Speech must be honed continually to better describe why a stranger should use your business to improve their business. Maximise the number of reasons in the time it takes your elevator to move from ground level to the fourth floor; or vice versa.

(d) So it will ever be for humans. We economize time by dropping syllables, slurring speech, or whatever you want to call it. Be honest. Your are more inclined to nod your head than to utter "Yeah!", and "yeah" is preferred to the slightly longe "yes" (try it!), and "yes" is preferred over "Yes I agree".

The lazy English say "Please" rather than the polite French "if it pleases YOU!"

(e) And so it is that our language changes year by year. The "OK" is now being replaced by "K".

See for example the derivation of "fortnight" in Rob's Words Time words don't mean what you think at the 17m 25s mark. "féowertýneniht"; fourteen letters dropped to nine letters, and we're not finished/done yet.

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