Evolution of Language

Evolution of Language

“All of the elements of culture change over time. The political systems, economic systems, religion, kinship, and art are all modified by the passage of time; so is language” (Rowe & Levine, 2006, Chapter 12). New technology has opened up many new forms and ways of communication not just in the English-speaking world, but internationally, with these new ways people are communicating with one another language has also evolved with unknown or modern words, and jargons keeping the world connected. Words and terms such as Rock ‘n Roll, text, Blackberry, and You Tube, are all terms that have spread internationally driven both by technology and culture.

Rock ‘n roll was a term used in rhythm and blues music to reference sex, in 1951 a Cleveland disc jockey by the name of Alan Freed used the phrase to denote the new raucous, teen dance music. The term Rock ‘n roll eventually became associated with electric guitars, leather jackets, hot rods, switch blades and juvenile delinquents. It is not a widely used term as it once was because the meaning has become so broad, Rock ‘n roll has been broken down into sub-genres Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and Alternative Rock.

Text is the writing in a manuscript, newspaper, and books, but today when one hears the word text they think of digital technology. Text or texting is the way people keep in contact with one another at the touch of some buttons. The text technology has made such an impact on society and communication that it has its own language. The use of acronyms has become the natural way of speaking when texting someone, one gets out what they want to say quicker, and add some of the emotions they are feeling in acronym form. For example, LOL (laugh out loud) when something is funny, gratz (congratulations), and VBS (very big smile) are all ways that people talk to one another through a text.

Blackberry