I need help with my language journal

[James]

So, I have this assignment for my History of the English Language class that involves journaling about topics involving the intricacies of languages, especially, but not limited to, English. The problem is, I have 67 entries, and I need 75. That's where I need help.

Any ideas? All I need is a topic about which I can write; it can be anything from curse words, to etymology, to jargon, to idioms, to stupid slang.

Don't be asses, though,* as this is for a college class.




*I mean, more than usual.

 

[James]

You mean like nite, u, etc., or like realize, theater, etc.?

 

[Mage246]

Write about 'meh', we already have a topic on it.

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,51635.0.html

 

[James]

How did I miss that? And yes.

 

[Swadius 2.0]

The origins of ****?

Here's a possibly reliable source: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-f-word.htm

 

[Stonewall382]

You should talk about whether or not HotForWords (on youtube, and I can't link it as I'm on dial-up) is reliable.  If she is, what impact (if any) has she had on the vocabulary (or lack thereof) of Internet users?  Or some **** like that.

 

[Swadius 2.0]

How about internet speak, jargon, and memes? It's basically an amalgamation of other cultures trying to type proper English.

 

[Sir Prince]

Something about how we come with various ways of describing something taboo?

EG

She was impregnated by a classmate.

becomes

She is in a family way.

 

[Jhessail]

Or how political correctness changes meaning of words and also changes which words are acceptable and which are not.

Negro->Black->African-American for example.

Or another example:

Fascist during 1930's was just describing one's political ideology, there wasn't anything inherently evil about it. And now? 

 

[Gculk]

Reading comprehension/double entendres, and how they can make language unintentionally hilarious.

 

[James]

The origins of ****?

Did it.

How about internet speak, jargon, and memes? It's basically an amalgamation of other cultures trying to type proper English.

Check.

Or how political correctness changes meaning of words and also changes which words are acceptable and which are not.

Basically done.

Something about how we come with various ways of describing something taboo?

Sort of. I don't want to much about naughty subjects.

You should talk about whether or not HotForWords is reliable.

I'll check that out.

Reading comprehension/double entendres, and how they can make language unintentionally hilarious.

Could be good.

Thanks. Only 6 left.

 

[Jorimli]

Eh, I don't know how to help that much, or any of us for that fact. We aren't the brightest sun in the world. (no offense, it was just a joke)

Anyways, you could find out where 'eh' comes from. Or maybe slang. But that is all from gangs and kids being... "cool"

Remember, a expert is someone who comes from at least 50 miles away.

 

[Elenmmare]

Eh, I don't know how to help that much, or any of us for that fact. We aren't the brightest sun in the world. (no offense, it was just a joke)

Anyways, you could find out where 'eh' comes from. Or maybe slang. But that is all from gangs and kids being... "cool"

Remember, a expert is someone who comes from at least 50 miles away.

The Origins of Eh:

After a particularily bloody hockey game, 4 Canadians by the name of Bill, Ted, Rogers, and Orvill were strolling home. When Ted discovered his wife had left him naught but a moose-shaped meat pie coated in maple syrup, he began to groan. His teeth, however, missing from a frozen hockey blade to the mouth, would not allow him to form the M sound. As such, he swore "Where the fwuck is my fwucking spwam. Eh!"

And that is the origin of our allegedly hilarious accent, and the word "eh". Its also damn cold up here so we have a lot to complain about.

 

[gamerwiz09]

Something on the difference between American and UK/Canadian English?

IE. Color -> Colour and some of the words that I can't think of off right now, but the consonants are doubled in the UK/CA but not in US.

Something on how English was brought to countries where it was not originally spoken, like India.

Something on how English has changed, or more specifically, words not used anymore...Like from Medieval time period. (Anon, for example)

Something on Onomatopoeias

 

[James]

Bamp! I've exhausted all the possibilities, and still have three left. Come on, I need something that easily fills 125 words of BS.

 

[TheDrunkenMoron]

Something on the difference between American and UK/Canadian English?

IE. Color -> Colour and some of the words that I can't think of off right now, but the consonants are doubled in the UK/CA but not in US.

Something on how English was brought to countries where it was not originally spoken, like India.

Something on how English has changed, or more specifically, words not used anymore...Like from Medieval time period. (Anon, for example)

Something on Onomatopoeias

Write about how the english language begins to form it's own unique accents and pronounciation over a period of time. This was reccomended about 8 trillion times though.

You could write about the elements of language being passed on and turned into entirely new forms of language over the course of time. An example of how there are elements of (hypothetically) Chinese characters in Japanese alphabets, or perhaps dialects of African Tribes various african tribes and how, while soundling alike, may be entirely different.

Lucky bastard you, I got rejected from collage

 

[Mage246]

Formal vs. informal English.

 

[James]

How about filler as a literary style? Id est, "BS".

That is not a bad idea. Note the use of 'that is', instead of 'that's'. One extra word.

 

[Mage246]

You still have classes that force you to meet a certain word limit? 

Page requirements make more sense, and mean you don't gain much by adding an extra space here or there.

 

[gamerwiz09]

You still have classes that force you to meet a certain word limit? 

Page requirements make more sense, and mean you don't gain much by adding an extra space here or there.

Care to explain how adding spaces increases word-count?