|
 |
Comet-like fashionable expressions | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : Philological Room |  | |
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7376 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes  12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 1 of 28 26 July 2005 at 4:36am | IP Logged | ||
|
There is a phenomenon in France of fashionable words that appear and disappear out of the public scene in mysterious ways. I wonder if this exists in other languages.
For example, for a couple months French politicians of all sides replaced any expression meaning that they did not like something by Ce n'est pas ma tasse de thé (This is not my cup of tea, that is, I do not particularly fancy this. A couple years ago a similar expression made an apparition, stayed in the limelight for a few months and has never been heard of again : Ca m'interpelle quelque part. ('This addresses me somewhere'), meaning that the person felt concerned by some issue somewhere inside him. A very strange expression that one. Nowadays you hear Je suis serein ('I am serene') which is used whenever a person wants to say that he feels good about something that you would think makes him mad. For instance, 'Do you really feel like a carpet after having lost the elections and your wife? No, I am perfectly serein' These are not political expressions such as The consumer society or others that have a definite socio-political background. They are just strange idiomatic expressions that enjoy a short but brilliant career. They begin their life in a mysterious way, are used by french politicians on TV, then trickle down in the general population. Myself being not French but having a good exposure to their culture, I can't help noticing these expressions. Do you have witnessed the same in other languages? Edited by administrator on 26 July 2005 at 4:53am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Raistlin Majere Trilingual Hexaglot Senior Member Spain uciprotour-cycling.c Joined 7152 days ago 455 posts - 424 votes 7 sounds Speaks: English*, Spanish*, Catalan*, FrenchA1, Italian, German Studies: Swedish | Message 2 of 28 26 July 2005 at 4:45am | IP Logged | ||
|
As far as I know, these kind of expressions are very common in all languages. A lot ot expressions come and go in short spaces of time.
To put an example, here in Spain we're a bit fed up with hearing Pues va a ser que no replacing any other negative answer. Some months ago, there was a TV ad by an Internet provider which showed people saying some old-fashioned expressions of these. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7376 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes 12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 3 of 28 26 July 2005 at 4:57am | IP Logged | ||
|
In Mexico I recall that people on the street would introduce every phrase about some background information by Mire, lo que pasa es que ....
In some English-speaking circles, the person who would want to pass a judgement that summarizes his idea of an issue would introduce it by at the end of the day. I think that the use of these expressions is fostered by a sense of belonging when you use them. Like an apprentice that tries to fit in in his professional group (carpenters, electricians, mechanics, etc...) would try to use the trade expressions to get some recognition as 'one of us'. I am sure I do the same all the time but it's easier to see it in people from other culture, the distance helps. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7207 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 4 of 28 26 July 2005 at 9:28am | IP Logged | ||
|
In London I recall the constant use of the word "like" in the middle of sentences among university students. After one year I was using that expression as well.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| morprussell Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7163 days ago 272 posts - 285 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: French | Message 5 of 28 26 July 2005 at 11:39am | IP Logged | ||
|
The unnecessary use of "like" is also common in the United States. Particularly among teenage girls. They are known as "valley girls".
This is how a typical teenage girl talks in California This sound sample came from International Dialects of English Archive Edited by morprussell on 26 July 2005 at 11:41am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Sir Nigel Senior Member United States Joined 7104 days ago 1126 posts - 1102 votes 2 sounds | Message 6 of 28 26 July 2005 at 11:52am | IP Logged | ||
|
I think "like" is a word all too many of this younger generation uses.
I don't notice so much fashionable words that appear and disappear, but I do notice word-whiskers that people over use. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7207 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 7 of 28 26 July 2005 at 12:00pm | IP Logged | ||
Great link! Many thanks. I always suspected that "like" was girlish talk. Now I have confirmed it. Edited by jradetzky on 26 July 2005 at 12:03pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7207 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 8 of 28 26 July 2005 at 12:20pm | IP Logged | ||
What do you call "word-whiskers"? 1 person has voted this message useful |
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
