The Pragmatician

BIG WORDS


Nothing to me is as cute as a small child using big words. Ever heard a 3 year old pronounce ‘extravagant’ flawlessly, or ‘I’d rather not’ instead of simply no?
Adorable!
Less cute are kids who pick up certain big (meaning nr 2) words from their parents when the latter ones are feeling sad, angry or frustrated.
You may think kids don’t pick up words that are never addressed directly to them, but if everytime you’re angry you swear in the kitchen, sooner or later little one will associate that word with being angry an before you know it little one comes home with a note from school.
A few years ago I was working somewhere and there was this room full of boorish men that used swear words regardless of what mood they were in, it was simply remarkable how they managed to fit in a big word in whatever sentence they uttered.
Weirdly they were quite friendly and very hearty people, I regularly got a hug and they greeted me every morning in a very welcoming manner, only the wording was chosen oh so poorly.

After they got to know me, quiet persona careful to speak pleasant language, they didn’t change their language, but after each curse word they apologized, one went as far as to apologize beforehand.

I've always heard this type of language, albeit in a more moderated dosages, here and there.
But then it was completely new to me to meet people who use these words as adjectives, verbs and superlatives.
Whose English is not about yes’s and no’s but saturated with very unoriginal alternatives.
Who’s to blame?
I met the father of one and he seemed much more refined, he spoke Hebrew with me so perhaps that may have been a reason?
If it’s not education, is it TV that is to blame?

Although shocked, I wasn’t very alarmed then.
Now I am concerned however, kids know these words, some even know the underlying meaning of the words.
A Jewish child is supposed to speak as a child and their vocabulary shouldn’t include words that they can’t say in front of adults for fear of punishment.
I watch TV, but there’s no questions it’s a bad influence on kids, generally speaking but equally religiously.
Has it also become nefarious for their language?

When I was small we picked u interesting words from TV shows, words when used would make our parents marvel at the knowledge of them, today the marvel is turning into frowning.
Have you been taken aback by the language of little ones? What can be done to prevent further deterioration?