Wud U Say? 

by Dorothy Dyer

Do you ever roll your eyes when someone uses one of ‘those’ words. ‘Those’ are the over used  words and expressions which when first applied to the situation were amazingly accurate,  specific and appropriate. They caught the ear for being novel but now are trite, misapplied and  sometimes meaningless.  

For example, pivot. When the first wave of the pandemic hit, successful businesses were  learning to pivot. Restaurants started or expanded their takeout. Gyms put exercise routines on  line. Curb side pickup was offered. Pivoting was clever and necessary.  

But now everyone is pivoting. You don’t change your mind anymore. You pivot. You don’t alter  your plans either. You pivot. There’s even a new television show called Pivoting. Do ballerinas  still pirouette or are they pivoting as well?  

Oh well, it is what it is. Speaking suchly, my next pet peeve. What does that really mean? “It is  what it is.” Acceptance. Disregard. Tedium. When I am in a full chorus of complaining and  someone says, “It is what it is,” what are they trying to tell me? It is one of those expressions  that makes perfect sense without really saying anything. All I know is the topic has ended.  

We use so many empty words in our conversations. Awesome used to mean a striking sunset  or the snowy Rockies against a chinook sky. Now arranging a compatible coffee time has  reached that pinnacle of wonder. Totally.  

Just as with trendy fashion, there is trendy language. Use the right expression and you will be  seen as with it and perhaps even youthful. In my younger years, things were ‘rad’ and ‘far out’,  terms now laughable. Watch a movie from another decade and see how many expressions  jump off the screen like corded phones. Speaking of which…. 

Ever watched a good fillum? I guess as long as we hit the general area of consonants and  vowels, we’re good. My son recommended a streamed series to me, The Wire. I tried several  times to watch it including with closed captions. Couldn’t understand a thing! I think it was in  English but the slang and the slurry voices were uncodable. Even lip reading attempts did not  work.  

Maybe all of this is why we lose our hearing as we age. The assault on our ears of crucified  language is too much to bear. Did I mention I used to teach English? My ears are attuned to  errors. I try not to be too judgy. Judgy, the modern replacement word for judgmental, probably  because of texting. Oh! And texting! That’s a whole other blog. 

Zup? Ax me lader. Gotta jump. So TTYL.