The Fascinating Thing about Languages...
And finally, something a little less weighty! This month we find out why British farmers object to the term "couch potato", discover why it's definitely worth learning a foreign language and hear about the profound influence on the English language of ..... Homer Simpson!
Potato feelings
The first recorded use of the term "couch potato" was in the Los Angeles Times in 1979, and it entered the English dictionary in 1993. Now, in a campaign backed by the British Potato Council, British potato growers are requesting that the expression "couch potato" be removed from the Oxford English dictionary, where it is currently defined as: "a person who spends leisure time passively or idly sitting around, especially watching television."
Farmers maintain that this association has a negative impact on the way people view potatoes, which - as they point out - are in fact an extremely healthy source of nourishment, being high in Vitamin C and low in fat. As an alternative, people are being encouraged to adopt the term "couch slouch"!
Learn another language: it could save your life!
Two mice sat in their hole watching a cat lurk outside. "I know how to make that cat go away," said the first mouse. "How?" the second mouse asked in surprise.
"Watch this," whispered the first mouse. Then he crept close to the edge of the mouse hole and barked "Bow wow!!!" at the top of his voice. Peering through their hole in the wall, they saw the cat running away in fear. The second mouse was very impressed. "Goodness me," he said. "Now I see what you mean about the benefits of knowing another language!"
Homer's modern Greek
A recent article in the Daily Telegraph reveals that, according to linguists, the way we communicate is being transformed by catchphrases from television. Owing to its phenomenal popularity The Simpsons is cited as being particularly influential when it comes to so-called "pop-speak". Many British linguists consider pop-speak to be a natural development of a dynamic language such as English. After all, Shakespeare created words like "amazement" and "radiance" which have become commonplace.
Campaign groups, however, are concerned that text-talk and pop-speak pose a real threat to our language and that if care isn't taken, "real English" could be lost forever. Gareth Hardwick of the Queen's English Society is quoted as saying: "The use of media phrases is lazy language. English has the richest vocabulary in the world. Often there are words or phrases much better suited than buzz slogans from television."
Have a look at these "pop-speak" phrases gleaned from The Simpsons and make up your own mind!
- D'oh! (Homer Simpson) - Damn it! I've done something stupid/hurt myself again
- Excellent (Monty Burns) - relishing an evil plan
- Aye carumba! (Bart Simpson) - conveys surprise/startlement
- Mmm...doughnuts (Homer Simpson) - foodie reverie
- Ha, ha! (Nelson Muntz) - verbal schadenfreude
- Okerly dokerly (Ned Flanders) - that's fine and dandy
- Don't have a cow (Bart Simpson) - calm down
- Release the hounds (Monty Burns) - set the dogs on him