Over Spring Break, our family went camping in the Smokey Mountains for a few days. We met a wonderful family from Georgia at the campsite next to us. It was great to make some new friends, but they talk funny! Actually, they didn't talk funny at all - just different from us. So did the people at the grocery store, gas station, restaurants, etc. Here are a few words I loved hearing: ya'll (singular or plural), perdy instead of pretty, sweet instead of nice or kind, 'dem instead of them, and a few other variations or words. I was also called “sweetheart” by people all the time at restaurants or stores. It seems strange to write these words, but it all flowed out naturally by the people accustomed to the dialect of the area.
This exposure to the nuances of language reminded me of some that our kids have. "Sick" means really cool (just like it did in the early 90s when it was popular). Texting itself is a nuance of language. New words emerge all the time. New meanings to words emerge just as often. It will all change, and parents need to keep up with the nuances of language that their kids use. Language is used to communicate, and communication needs to be clear to effectively foster relationships. The southern nuances of language were clear to me. No matter what words get used, it is important to keep communication clear and to the point you are trying to make. Paul writes about that in his letter to the Corinthian church: "But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue." I Corinthians 14:19
What are some cool "slang" words in use right now? Have your kids help you!!
Figure out this riddle: I'm talking to my father’s child. My mom has 4 brothers. I have 2 adopted cousins. I am an only child, but my family has 4 pets. Who am I talking to?
Notice how language can be very unclear the more we talk sometimes. How do you need to communicate better as a family? Is short and simple better? What will you do to make that happen? Discuss this topic together.
(riddle answer: I am talking to myself)
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