Has anyone else noticed that our words of communication have not (yet?) changed to reflect the fact that we can only read each other's words on a screen? We still speak
(well, there I go, doing it) of 'speaking' to, 'hearing',
'listening' to, and even 'seeing' one another. We put that we "say" things.

I wonder if this language will change, culturally, as electronic communication becomes more commonplace? Although the development of voice and live-view capabilities may render such a change unnecessary before it even has a chance to evolve.

I think one word whose meaning is changing is "chat". I'm guessing that my generation perceives it as smalltalk, while the younger generation percieves it as online discourse. Possibly the same content, but in different forums. Wouldn't be surprised if it's original meaning dries up down the road a bit.

In my opinion, once the bandwidth problem has resolved itself we will be recording video with sound and posting that. At that point, linguistic changes probably become a moot issue. Of course, other problems will then rear their ugly heads, but still ...

I tend to agree with you SD. I rarely describe what we do here as chatting since, in my mind, chat is defined as small talk of no consequence.

Oddly, I tend to use the word talk, as in "I was talking to Doug about definitions" which is using the word talk incorrectly but feels better.

>Has anyone else noticed that our words of communication have not (yet?) changed

I think that these words are slow to change.

My father is blind yet still goes to see a friend and watches television.

Jackie goes: Has anyone else noticed that our words of communication have not (yet?)

Ted goes: I mean like you know....

This goes crap is another one of my REAL pet peeves. When I hear these people using this phrase I want to ask them if they would please just go in the damned bathroom!

I don't now where it arose but it is below abominable.

(close rant)

TEd did whine volubly:Jackie goes: Has anyone else noticed that our words of communication have not (yet?)

Ted goes: I mean like you know....
This goes crap is another one of my REAL pet peeves.

There was an Australian comedy sketch show many years ago called The Comedy Company. One of it's most successful creations was a gum-chewing schoolgirl called Kylie whose entire vocabulary seemed to consist of "she goes." You would have loved her!

Duh! As if! Hello?

NB This was in response to Antipodean nostalgia alert, q.v.

you guys are, like, totally out of it -- this is Valley Girl speak.

tsuwm interjected with: you guys are, like, totally out of it -- this is Valley Girl speak.

Sorry, tsuwm, but you will notice that I did not say that the Australian comic mentioned created the speech pattern, merely that she did very well at parodying it. I hope that I haven't impugned the merits of your Sweet Valley High collection [just kidding icon], but when it comes to appreciating, Kylie, Con, and the rest of the Comedy Company gang, well, like, yuz just had to be there, eh, you know?

Whoa, Max! Good stuff!

She goe...she goes...she goes......she just goes!

Kylie Mole come back, all is forgiven. We found the money on the mantelpiece! My youngest sister often goes to fancy dress dos as Kylie. Has the accent and the patter down to a fine art.

The Comedy Company and Fast Forward produced some of the ... no, the most consistent high quality comedy ever seen south of zero ...

Kylie Mole come back...

She don't drink Speights, but.

CK wrote: 'The Comedy Company and Fast Forward produced some of the ... no, the most consistent high quality comedy ever seen south of zero ...'

Which considering the competition consisting of ...

Seriously though, this is the biggest myth. I've heard so many Australians go on and on about how great the programmes CC and Fast Forward are. Well, I guess it reflects the deplorable state of Australian television broadcasting more than anything else.
The humour is shallow, derogatory and bigoted, .. just the shot for the majority of aussie viewers.

just the shot for the majority of aussie viewers.

Well--I know nothing about Australian television, and even if I did I would not argue with your opinion of it. As far as I can tell, there is no way to interpret your parting
"shot" other than that you are calling "the majority of aussie viewers" "shallow, derogatory and bigoted". You are entitled to your opinion, but I am compelled to say that
the Australians I have met are quite wonderful! They seem to be, as a whole, exuberant, eager-to-live-life-to-its-fullest kind of people who have off-beat but super senses of humor!

I believe there is truth in the saying that what we hate in
others is what we fear most in ourselves.

Jackie wrote : there is no way to interpret your parting "shot" other than that you are calling "the majority of aussie viewers" "shallow, derogatory and bigoted"..........

I believe there is truth in the saying that what we hate in
others is what we fear most in ourselves.

Hear! Hear! Jackie.
Indeed, has not the young person's self chosen name indicated his opinion of himself?
wow

Now belli. If you hang around here for a little while you will see that your parting words were really out of place. You will note that we have folks from Oz here and they are, one and all, absolutely great. You should hesitate to brand an entire nation’s people based on any bad experience you may have had in the past. I am sure that you know some Germans who are shallow, crude or crass – does that make your entire population so? Does that make you so?

Allo Musick

A view is when a person looks at the thread but does not post a reply. So for this thread people looked in 80 times but only 15 people posted a reply.

Seriously though, this is the biggest myth. I've heard so many Australians go on and on about how great the programmes CC and Fast Forward are. Well, I guess it reflects the deplorable state of Australian television broadcasting more than anything else.
The humour is shallow, derogatory and bigoted, .. just the shot for the majority of aussie viewers.

1. I'm a New Zealander. And there is a cultural difference.

2. All sketch-based humour is to some extent derogatory, plays on people's prejudices and is, given the medium, shallow.

3. I recommend you watch German television for some further shining examples.

Jackie surprised the hell outta me with: Kylie Mole come back...

She don't drink Speights, but.

SPEIGHT'S?! Where did you get that line from - another great self-parodying sketch, in one of Speight's Southern Man ads. Has AWAD's own Southern Man, CapK, been filling you in? I live in Tui country myself -it's the beer around here.

SPEIGHT'S?! Where did you get that line from

A little birdie told me, my sweet Max.

Now, now, Maxie. A gentleman never tells ...

. A gentleman never tells

Hey--I thought that was, a lady never tells!
Oh well--blown kisses to both north and south.

belMarduk wrote: Now belli. ..your parting words were really out of place. You will note that we have folks from Oz here and they are, one and all, absolutely great.

Wait, all Australians are great?! You really shouldn't brand an entire nations people .. blah, blah .. (Sorry but you walked straight into that one)
but hey, I know they're great, hey, you won't believe this but, I am Australian, in a very broad sense of the word. I just don't plaster my 'nationality' to my forehead.

'hesitate to brand an entire nation’s people'. Sorry what thread were you reading? Perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough for yourself and Jackie, who failed to understand the use of 'shot' because it's actually an Australian colloquialism (to get back to language)
So: just the shot = just the ticket

no harm done ;-)
happy new year
p.s. what day is it?