I never promised you a rose garden...

*mounts the scaffolds*

You could say that I come from a long line of people who are proud of the fact that they have been well educated (by their contemporary standards, at least). The group of educated individuals with whom I choose to associate, my family included, treat the arts of reading, writing, and speaking with a certain degree of reverence. We all understand that every system has rules. Some of these rules can be bent. Unfortunately in today's 2-seconds-is-too-long-to-wait society, people are lazy when it comes to their standards of living. These standards include, but are not limited to: eating, dressing, working, playing, speaking, reading, and writing. It is understandable that society will follow different trends in work, food, and dress. However, society must maintain high expectations for forms of communication. At the rate American English is being hacked and chopped, it will soon return to it's place of origin: a series of gutteral noises, easy-to-understand gestures, and a few facial expressions.

The popularity of the world wide web is paritally to blame for the bastardization of our language. Instant messaging programs allow people to "chat" with each other through java script windows on a PC screen. In order to type faster, people use certain terms that have been modified to "save time." It is perfectly acceptable to use these words in the context of an instant messenger program. What about those who alternate the spellings to fit a certain stereotype. What is the point of spelling things with a "z" fixed in the middle or to the end of a word? Does typing "girlz, boyz," or "fo shizzle" REALLY make you look all that much cooler than your friends? NO! It makes you look like a lazy idiot who (a) has never taken a spelling test, or (b) doesn't have the decency to pick up a dictionary. Also, the automatic spell check programs in Word programs are not helpful. If I misspell "weird" while I'm typing, I don't want the computer to atuomatically switch the letters. I want to know that I misspelled it so I can retype it. I want to learn how to type correctly so I don't make the same mistake in the future! People are too dependent on spell check! you might need to use the conjunction "you're" in a sentence. However, if you use "your" by accident, the spell checker will not detect it!

I don't even want to start on advertisements and print-type media. WHY does everyone insist on spelling "ight" words with "ite"?! I really can't stand it when someone changes the consonant in front of one word (of a set of two) so they both match. for example: Kid's Korner. I actually saw a sign once that read: "Kay's Kountry Krafts." WHAT is that?! America claims to be one of the richest countries in the world. If we are, then why don't we claim to be the smartest? Because we know we're NOT. We're lazy, impatient, and we want it now. We don't care if we look like an idiot. As long as we get the message across to our audience, it doesn't matter. You know what really annoys me? The president of the USA (I didn't vote for him) pronounces "nuclear" with a U in the middle of it. He says "nuke-yoo-lar." Thank you for insulting my intelligence by misrepresenting me, you moron! I'm straying from the point a little. We need to stop bastardizing our language! We need to read, write, speak, and type with quality in mind. Communication is key in our society. If we abuse our language, it will disintegrate into a worthless pile of broken symbols. We'll have to start all over again.

*steps down*

I was on the spelling team in 6th grade.

"Emoticons" I know:

:-D (really happy) :) (smile) :( (sad) :'( (crying) :x (smooch) >:( (angry)

my favorite one is one that my friend jon made up:

o_O

it's more like 1 raised eyebrow, "what the heck?!" thing

N Word Investigation N
Okay, ladies and germs. This week, we delve a bit deeper into the innermost workings of my own twisted mind. that being said, we come upon one of my favorite genres of music, stereotypes, and incredibly hot (as long as it's original) styles. Luckily for me, it's also a word! This week's first word is a big part of my identity(which is also why i think i can relate to teens more than most). i initially discovered it in 7th grade when I heard Green Day's Basket Case for the first time. I dated one in high school, moshed with and befriended many others, and saw them flicker on the silver screen personified by Gary Oldman and Matthew Lillard.

Boys and girls, I proudly proclaim my perfectly pleasing word:

Punk

1.Etymology
Punk 1: 1896, "inferior, bad," also "something worthless," earlier "rotten wood used as tinder" (1687), probably from Algonquian (Delaware) ponk, lit. "dust, powder, ashes;" but Gaelic spong "tinder" also has been suggested (cf. spunk "touchwood, tinder," 1582). Meaning "Chinese incense" is from 1870.

Punk 2: "worthless person" (especially a young hoodlum), 1917, probably from punk kid "criminal's apprentice," underworld slang first attested 1904 (with overtones of "catamite"). Ultimately from punk "prostitute, harlot, strumpet," first recorded 1596, of unknown origin. For sense shift from "harlot" to "homosexual," cf. gay. By 1923 used generally for "young boy, inexperienced person" (originally in show business, e.g. punk day, circus slang from 1930, "day when children are admitted free"). The verb meaning "to back out of" is from 1920. The "young criminal" sense is no doubt the inspiration in punk rock first attested 1971 (in a Dave Marsh article in "Creem"), popularized 1976.

Mohawk: "haircut style favored by punk rockers," c.1975, from fancied resemblance to hair style of Mohawk Indians. The style of cut earlier was called a Mohican (1960). The tribe name Mohawk (1638) is said to mean "they eat living things" in Algonquian, probably a ref. to cannibalism. Variant form Mohoc was the name given 1711 to gangs of aristocratic London ruffians.

I always found this funny. I thought a mohawk was a sign in Native American culture that a boy did not go through his rite of passage.... punks need to be educated!!

2. Lexical
you can find a myriad of words related to punk: punks, punk rocker, punkish, punky brewster! (heh), punk rock, mohawk, mosh, chuck taylors, wallet chains, skin heads, oi, anarchy, ska, tattoos, skanking, mxpx....

3. Semantics
I'm laughin me arse off right now, cause I went to http://www.m-w.com/, and the first entry they have for this word is the following:
1. archaic: prostitute. I'll have to research this one more!
as a noun, it also has several other meanings:
2. nonsense, foolishness.
3. a: a young, inexperienced person especially : a young man b : a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian c : a youth used as a homosexual partner (EEK! didn't know that!)
and of course 4. a : PUNK ROCK! b : a punk rock musician c : one who affects punk styles
but also
1 : wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder
2 : a dry spongy substance prepared from fungi (genus Fomes) and used to ignite fuses especially of fireworks

as an adjective:
1. very poor, inferior
2. being in poor health
3 a : of or relating to punk rock b : relating to or being a style (as of dress or hair) inspired by punk rock

And Punk Rock also has it's own entry! yay!
1. rock music marked by extreme and often deliberately offensive expressions of alienation and social discontent-

4. Sources
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=punk&searchmode=none
www.m-w.com

5. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1. a type of loud and aggressive rock music popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s
2. a person who like punk music and dresses like a punk musician, for example by wearing metal chains, leather clothes, and having brightly coloured hair.
3. a young man or boy who behaves in a rude or violent way

... what about all the riot grrls out there who wanna stick it to the Man? why aren't WE in the dictionary?

Mosh

I realized with startling disappointment that I won't be able to do this forever. For the past 3 years or so... i've been pretty happy with the fact that I'm usually the only girl in the mosh pit with the guys... there are certain guys in kenosha who won't even GO in the mosh pit if i'm in it... heh... but I was at the annual Kenosha punk picnic in sept... and i was way sore and couldn't keep up! perhaps it's because i haven't really worked out all summer... or maybe it's the fact that i'm getting flipping old... i give myself 2 more years to mosh... and then i get to be one of those ackie onlookers who stare wide eyed at the displays of total disregard for basic human safety and dignity. HEH.

1. Etymology
The term was first used in the English language in 1987... so it is a baby-word yet.... whether American or British... I don't know... it goes back to that whole question of "who started punk rock? the sex pistols or the ramones?"

2. Lexical
"mosh" can magically transform into a noun when used as "mosher." Also, the area directly in front of the stage (at any concert where moshing takes place) is called the mosh pit.

3. Semantics
1. "to dance (with a certain amount of violence) to metal music in a tightly packed arena," 1987, perhaps a variant of "mash." 2. to engage in uninhibited often frenzied activities (as intentional collision) with others near the stage at a rock concert.

LMAO. these definitions are so LOFTY! i'm sure they could type up an "idiot's guide to moshing" pamphlet.

4. Sources
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=mosh&searchmode=none
www.m-w.com

5. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary:
"to dance and jump up and down violently or without control at a concert where rock music is played."

I think that might have been personal enough! so let's see, what else do we need to check off the old list:

Major author who had an impact on the history/structure of the English language:
I'm totally thinking Emily Dickinson- her punctuation was WHACKO.... but maybe not. Sandra Cisneros was the first thought that popped into my head.... perhaps Ray Bradbury.... one of my favorite authors... he had to make up words to suit his ideas and stories.

Find a Book- need to do that