IT’S ALL FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO ME

 

I was with friends recently and we were discussing a television program when someone in the senior group asked, “Is it on a network or streaming?” We are old but can still speak the lingo of a new culture.

Language matters. If you don’t believe me, be sure to catch the 5 episodes of Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart (streaming on HBO MAX.). Brené is famous world-wide for her work on vulnerability. Her latest efforts focus on language that describes our emotions. For example – do you know the difference between awe and wonder? Between envy and jealousy? Stressed and overwhelmed?

When I was planning our trip to Italy, I decided it was important for me to learn a few basic phrases. Please (per favore) and thank you (graczie).  And, possibly most important, “Dov’é la toilette?” (Where is the restroom?)

Martin has some hearing loss. (Translate – a lot of hearing loss.) Even with his hearing aids he can’t understand me when I whisper in church or at the movies. So, we have decided to augment our whispers with American Sign Language. I can now ask him to turn down the volume or pause the TV. He can tell me when his mom has done her morning check in call by signing “Mom called.” And I can wake him up before he has put in his hearing aids and can sign “I’m taking a shower.” I reached over the other morning just to scratch his head and he said, “Have a nice shower.”

Cultural language changes, as well. My grandchildren often use the word “sus” for suspicious. I think it is a result of their game “Among Us” but I hear it other places as well, now. BFDI characters are printed at my house on Fridays. This is only interesting for those who have kids watching “Battle for Dream Island.” With the ease of watching more British television, Martin and I have learned that UNI is university and is used interchangeable with the American college as in “Where are you going to UNI?”

Technology language has been challenging. We talk to our television and to our Google devices. We discuss wi-fi and Bluetooth like pros. But I haven’t learned the names of the cords I use to charge phones, headphones, Kindles and Fitbits. (Lightening cords? USB cable? Micro-USB cable?)

Texting acronyms have created the most variety of new words for me. I have seen funny takes on WTF when senior citizens use it incorrectly. (Ask your grandchildren for the translation.) THX for thanks is easy. TBH took me a while but when in context I was able to read “To be honest.” LOL is now a household phrase and is used even outside the texting world. One day Benjamin sent Martin a text and ended with “B.” Martin puzzled over it for a while and finally asked me to translate. I said “It’s his initial. He was just signing off.”  SMH is the appropriate response to that story.

Some days it seems overwhelming, and I am tempted to resort to Martin’s favorite language tool. Emojis.