[Netherrealmer]

Years Ago the word Savage means someone who is uncivilized. It is an insult but thanks to the internet, Now the word Savage became a compliment. Oh then new words got invented like Selfie which became prominent because of Twitter and Instagram.

Oh Tweet use to mean the sound birds make but now it is a message sent on Twitter.

Oh more new words got invented that I had been hearing a lot like Dab, and recently thicc.

Dab is an annoying hand gesture many teens are doing these days.

Thot I think is an insult to people who are way too promiscuous. Thicc is a positive term for women with Athletic and thick body. A great example might be:

The wrestler known as Kaitlyn


Daddy use to be a slang for Father but now women are using it online to men they find attractive.

[Allius]

Hi!
Excelent topic as always
Any language that are still "alive" are in constant evolution. There are some ancient portuguese authors that I like to read and I can find so many differences in the way they "talk".
With internet everything change even faster... so that's not a strange that english is changing

[OldGuy]

You are so right. The English language is always changing.

Back when I was a kid, it was fun to meet someone from “over the pond” to compare differences between US English and British English. Some words commonly used “over here” were outright nasty when spoken “over there” and other differences often made us laugh. The same words do not even mean the same thing in different regions. Even the pronunciation is not always the same depending on where you are speaking.

The differences are even more distinct than just comparing whole countries. There are many localized dialects and slang terms that don't mean a thing outside of where they are used. It is no wonder someone trying to learn English can be so easily confused.

It takes a lifetime to build a personal vocabulary, and you generally learn what is spoken where you live. Older people grew up when words had very different meanings to the common definition in an online vocabulary. It is often comical to watch older people struggle to even understand what is being said by the younger generation, especially in any online conversation.

You might be able to create one of your fun games by asking the meaning of words that meant something to older people - “pre internet”, as compared to what they mean to those savvy with internet lingo. Every one of these words mean something else to those who never visit the internet.

What DID these each of these words mean … even just 50 years ago?

Amazon
Application
Block
Bump
Canoe
Catfish
Cloud
Cookie
Firehose
Flame
Follow
Footprint
Friend
Google
Handle
Java
Like
Meme
Nest
Ping
Profile
Salesforce
Sandbox
Server
SPAM
Stream
Swipe
Tablet
Tag
talent
Text
Timeline
Tinder
Trojan Horse
Troll
Tweet
Unplug
Viral

[Netherrealmer]

You are so right. The English language is always changing.



What DID these each of these words mean … even just 50 years ago?

Amazon
Application
Block
Bump
Canoe
Catfish
Cloud
Cookie
Firehose
Flame
Follow
Footprint
Friend
Google
Handle
Java
Like
Meme
Nest
Ping
Profile
Salesforce
Sandbox
Server
SPAM
Stream
Swipe
Tablet
Tag
talent
Text
Timeline
Tinder
Trojan Horse
Troll
Tweet
Unplug
Viral

Amazon -The biggest forest in the world, Legendary warrior women
Application - Something you will apply, Your resume to a job
Block- A brick, disallowing something
Bump- The tumor thingie on rooster's head
Canoe - a small boat
Catfish- My dinner last night, I breaded it with cornmeal and deep fried it.
Cloud - The gases that turns into reign
Cookie - diabetes causing deliciousness
Firehose - a hose used for extinguishing fire
Flame -fire
Follow- go after
Footprint- Impression left by food
Friend -Parasites who will drain your money because they kept asking for hand outs.
Google (I thought this is a modern word?)
Handle- hold with hand
Java - A place in Indonesia
Like-Similar to.... Something you want
Meme -to imitate.
Nest -Bird's house
Ping- last name of my chinese friend
Profile -Side view picture
Sandbox - A giant litter box
Server -A waiter
SPAM - My breakfast today, I love eating it fried.
Stream- flow of water
Swipe -to steal
Tablet- A stone rectangle stuff, A pill
Tag- A traditional game children use to play
talent- extraordinary ability
Text-letters
Timeline-history
Tinder- flame
Trojan Horse
Troll -Norse mythological monster
Tweet- Sound of a bird
Unplug- to sing live
Viral - A disease?

[ptrikha21]

I see an ever increasing use of slang and short form.
Like this
"Wll I mn I jst mnt 2 sy Hi N earn sm fn bcks dwn t line n ctchup on IPL mtchs tdy.
GN c u 2mrw
"

(Above is just meant to illustrate the short forms and slangs)

[mrki444]

I see an ever increasing use of slang and short form.
Like this
"Wll I mn I jst mnt 2 sy Hi N earn sm fn bcks dwn t line n ctchup on IPL mtchs tdy.
GN c u 2mrw
"

(Above is just meant to illustrate the short forms and slangs)

I agree with this short form part. It is now present in every language not just English. Especially visible in kids text. Some of them know full meaning but they don't know how to write it except short form.

[Sincerem]

Thanks to ultra modern technologies for shaping our life, helping us be civilized and not savage people 'uncivilized' as you said.

[Netherrealmer]

I see an ever increasing use of slang and short form.
Like this
"Wll I mn I jst mnt 2 sy Hi N earn sm fn bcks dwn t line n ctchup on IPL mtchs tdy.
GN c u 2mrw
"

(Above is just meant to illustrate the short forms and slangs)

I still see text speak on twitter but not on other social media platforms but there are people who intentionally wroly spell words to sound cool.

[bestwriter]

I recently came across the word bump which simply means reply Yes there are endless words that have now got new meanings and new words have also cropped up.

[sethbala11]

If I'm going to speak business my own personal I think that technology has really helped you in learning English language

[arunima]

The beauty and literary usage of any language is on decline with uses of short forms and emojis. Today's youth hardly pay attention to syntax and spellings. As long as it makes sense and conveys the message, all is considered good. Now, Google is a verb.

[Abigael]

The English language had really changed due to the internet. It is not what it used to be anymore. But I think this is how languages evolve. The future generations will find these new words just normal and will be amazed about others that will be coming up.

[GuestHu]

The beauty and literary usage of any language is on decline with uses of short forms and emojis.

It's like we are going back in time when our forefathers draw an image to convey a message to somebody else. LOL.

Today's youth hardly pay attention to syntax and spellings.

People before have rich vocabulary than people nowadays. And young people like shortening words like laughing out loud. LOL.

[adeyemi@gmail]

on my own side internet help me to correct bad english , if i make a wrong statement i will quickly go to google to find the right answer