The Beauty of Language

I think that it becomes easier to appreciate the intricacies of language once you start learning a second or even a third one. Trying to express oneself in a medium other than ones own native tongue can be frustrating, distressing and hilarious (for the listeners that is). It can also open one up to have empathy for others who may be struggling with english. For me I was grateful I learned english first because its probably the worst language (with the possible exception of certain asian or scandinavian languages) to learn as a second or third language. All the rules that we break in every other sentence. At least french sticks to its rules 90% of the time.

When my brother hit teenagehood he and his friends began warping our native tongue to use words in ways for which they were not originally intended, sort of twisting words into sentence structures you wouldn't normally hear them in. It was intriguing listening to them, I wish I could think of some examples of the words that they used, but I can't. One day I attempted to bring it to his attention... "You know, when you and your friends talk, you use ordinary words in really different ways..." He looked at me blankly. I looked at my sister to help me explain, she did a much better job, I think she actually thought of an example. Then he got what we were talking about. He moved out of home not long after so I couldn't keep listening.

But thats what I like about english. A person can do their own thing with the language, and most of the time people (provided they're not english teachers) will get what they're on about. Next thing you'll hear people mimicking them all over the place. Young people like to be different, and ahead of others, and language is just one of the ways a person can do that.