Writing and Words

Work sometimes takes us away from the fun things we want to do in life, but that doesn't mean we should just give up! I have been incredibly busy lately and haven't had time to write, but now I have just a bit of time before the Thanksgiving frenzy begins, so hooray for writing!

Some people like to be super formal in their posts, and others write like it is a conversation. Some people even make up words or have posts full of slang phrases. I think it is good to have a combination of those styles in blog posts to keep it interesting, but it is still important to maintain your own voice.

Similarly, with the English language, I think some variation in style is ok, but it's important to maintain the roots of what makes words words. The Oxford Dictionary recently released its word of the year, and can you guess what it is?

Selfie.

Selfie, really? Many people probably feel that this is a disgrace to the English language. Others think it is the coolest thing in the world. I was a little surprised when I first found out about the word of the year, but I am not too disappointed.

The way of nature is change. The reason we use the words we use today is because of change. We would be speaking some ancient dialect if it weren't for the evolution of words over time to better fit our current culture and experiences. These days everything is moving faster and everyone has less time, so abbreviated words like this are becoming more common.

Although I am a fan of the more traditional English language that I grew up learning and studying, and although I am a former journalist who is sort of obsessed with proper grammar and writing style, I am ok with selfie being the word of the year. I am ok with change, and I welcome it because I know it is just part of the way the world works. 

Can you imagine how the English language might change in the years to come? How do you feel about selfie being the word of the year?