Some words have lost their meaning, as a result of them being used to much as filler words when trying to express what you're really feeling. Words such as 'literally' and 'like' are used too much in everyday conversation so have lost their meaning. 'Literally' is now used to exaggerate something, rather than meaning something really did happen. other words that have lost their meaning include: trust, sweat and mint. All these words are also disliked by many as they are overused but are still used by the same people.
Adjectives, are also overused and don't really mean a lot when they are spoken now. words such us 'amazing' and 'lush' are commonly used in conversation instead of using a wider range of vocabulary to describe something.
Good conceptualisation of the discussion. 'Amazing' and 'lush' fit into what the theorist Lakoff called 'empty adjectives'. She theorised that overuse of these positive but meaningless words was part of what made the language women used weak or 'deficient' - she suggested that women used them rather than men (she was working in the 1970s so it may have changed or she may not have been right if she didn't get a wide-ranging sample) - do you find that to be the case?
ReplyDeleteWhere is your analysis of spoken elements in written language?
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