Almost two years ago now, I was flown from London Heathrow to my longest waking day – my first day in the United States. It was my first of many firsts. One of these being the consistent, integral importance of me clearly sounding out my words to Chicagoans.
It seems primitive but when I was on the receiving end of many a vacant stare from an American after I spoke, it became clear to me that I was in the same position as them on various occasions. It was never an act of ignorance or cultural arrogance, rather a natural result of sounding different to each other.
Despite a few of these hiccups, I respected the differing in American spelling and uses of words that really would not come into normal conversation across the pond.
But there is a vocabulary that really, properly prickles my skin.
It seems to me that just in the last four years, the Gen Z tornado of new words and obscure internet phrases has exploded to a worrying degree. They litter social media posts and more sorrowfully, normal conversation that I have heard first-hand.
Peak – fire – wig – Karen
It will come in the form of a passing comment that I will hear from a friend of my own age. It seems that there is a hard and fast divide between those who use this new vocabulary and those who don't look twice at it - or if they do, it is to wonder "what the hell does that mean?"
When it comes to words and spoken language, I am a traditionalist. More to the point, I don't see the value in these new, bizarre words that are fated to drop out of spoken etiquette before long – but not soon enough for my liking.
I see it as a lean in towards the vacuous pull of 'internet and social media land' which the use of these phrases heightens, diminishing the relative value of using forgotten and intriguing words from a hundred years ago that are still around today.
I believe wholeheartedly in the wealth and richness of the back catalogue of the English language. I do not know the point at which the word ‘peak’ turned from meaning the height of something, the highest level of a thing or mood to meaning bad. Is it insane to just me that the definition of ‘peak’ owned by Gen Z means the complete opposite of its original (and correct) meaning?
Depending on the day, I will either find examples like this to be irritating or just sad. More often than not, it makes me sad. It feels like a personal gut-punch to someone who really appreciates and is loyal to the wonderful and old history of words.
Words that derive from not-the-internet.
So I sigh when I hear the word "peak" being used and wearily, quietly retreat into the light that isn't produced by the glow of my phone screen where I hold my very torn and aged copy of The Hobbit from1966. Quite indubitably.
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