Two (or 'Too'?) Commonly-Used Terms

unaluna · Nov 13, 2022 at 12:13 PM

Thats what i noticed when my italian relatives visited. They sounded so musical! My americanized relatives sounded so plodding.

One time a cousin's first generation german-american husband was giving me a ride home. He's a musician and mentioned jean-luc ponty. I couldnt understand who he was talking about, even though i was well-acquainted with the name! Like he was speaking french with such a strong german influence.

ETA - thats why i started calling them all non-boomers. Maybe post-boom would be better?

nonightowl · Nov 13, 2022 at 12:23 PM

I just had to look up Joneser and found:

The first, boomers I, were born between 1946 and 1954, while boomers II, aka Generation Jones, were born between 1955 and 1964. If you haven't heard of Generation Jones (Jonesers), you're not alone. The term was coined in 1999 by author Jonathan Pontell.

So there's TWO generations of boomers???? Too much for my brain on a Sunday morning. Until I read that post, I never heard of that term.

So boomer is a broad term, covering about 20 years but they divided this into roughly two 10 years each.

MuddyBoots · Nov 13, 2022 at 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonightowl

I just had to look up Joneser and found:

The first, boomers I, were born between 1946 and 1954, while boomers II, aka Generation Jones, were born between 1955 and 1964. If you haven't heard of Generation Jones (Jonesers), you're not alone. The term was coined in 1999 by author Jonathan Pontell.

So there's TWO generations of boomers???? Too much for my brain on a Sunday morning. Until I read that post, I never heard of that term.

So boomer is a broad term, covering about 20 years but they divided this into roughly two 10 years each.

There's also "Zillennials" which are the years between millennials and gen Z. I don't get why people care about the generations, just tell me what year you were born in or at least "early 80's" for example.

MuddyBoots · Nov 13, 2022 at 02:32 PM

You can learn English through tough thorough thought though.

nonightowl · Nov 13, 2022 at 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyBoots

You can learn English through tough thorough thought though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyBoots

There's also "Zillennials" which are the years between millennials and gen Z. I don't get why people care about the generations, just tell me what year you were born in or at least "early 80's" for example.

I agree. And I didn't know of Zillennials, I thought that WAS Z. I get sick of the defining generations with letters too. Just tell me what year or decades, what time frame. Are they going to start all over with Generation A when referring to kids born maybe in 2010 or later?????

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonightowl

...
I've also wondered how English SOUNDS to people who can't understand a word. But I don't have anyone who can tell me. For example I think Italian and Spanish sound very musical, it goes up and down. Mandarin too. Do we sound like that? I'll never know. I never even took a class on learning English, so in hindsight I don't know how I learned. Must be innate.

I have been told by language teachers that English is, indeed, the most difficult language to learn, for so many reasons.

I'm afraid we don't sound (at least not those of us who speak American English) so wonderful to non-English speakers The "King's English" surely sounds much lovelier than our choppy, rushed American version of English does.

I had a close friend, his native language was Bulgarian, but his English was quite good. He would cringe at many young women, Americans, who essentially screeched and chirped when they spoke - he found their repetitive "Okay, okay, okay" especially grating. He wanted to know why they kept saying "okay," especially in such a shrill way. I couldn't explain why, I only told him that I, too, found it extremely irritating.

My son had a friend from China, a very bright young woman, new to learning English (her English was lovely, btw). But she was really confused by the word "go" - much as my mother had been. This young woman wanted to know what it meant when, for example, we said, "To turn the radio on you go-" and we'd push a button. Or, "You just go like this." She wanted to know what "go" meant. Sometimes it was easy to explain - but many times we were stumped!

Every baby is born with a "language acquisition device." An LAD. Something in the brain that tells us to respond to and learn language. Language is a method of survival. We learn by hearing and repeating what we hear. You never took a formal class in English, owl, but you did take a "class" in the sense that you heard English spoken, you repeated what you heard, and thus you became a speaker of American English.

I can't exactly say that I speak Hebrew as a second language, but growing up as a Jewish child I spent a lot of time reciting prayers in the synagogue. I picked up Hebrew pronunciation before I could have been aware of doing do, I was so young, and my pronunciation of that language remains very good.

btw- as for the way a language sounds, when I was in Ireland I felt like everyone around me was singing when they spoke. Sometimes I would close my eyes and just float on the lyrical sound of the Irish accent. I've heard many, many languages and accents, but never one quite so beautiful.

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:04 PM

Ohhh...and French, when spoken properly....*swoon*....

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonightowl

...So there's TWO generations of boomers???? Too much for my brain on a Sunday morning. Until I read that post, I never heard of that term.

So boomer is a broad term, covering about 20 years but they divided this into roughly two 10 years each.

Yup. BUT some claim that Gen-X actually began in 1960 and went until 1973 - as determined by Douglas Copeland's Gen-X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. And I think Copeland may be the dude who actually invented the term "Gen-X."

I dunno. My kids always said I was far more X than Boomer I tend to agree.

Generation Jones, or the Jonesers, are supposed to be the bridge between Boomer and X. Maybe.

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyBoots

You can learn English through tough thorough thought though.

~~~~~ ~~~~~

nonightowl · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Beth*

I have been told by language teachers that English is, indeed, the most difficult language to learn, for so many reasons.

I'm afraid we don't sound (at least not those of us who speak American English) so wonderful to non-English speakers The "King's English" surely sounds much lovelier than our choppy, rushed American version of English does.

I had a close friend, his native language was Bulgarian, but his English was quite good. He would cringe at many young women, Americans, who essentially screeched and chirped when they spoke - he found their repetitive "Okay, okay, okay" especially grating. He wanted to know why they kept saying "okay," especially in such a shrill way. I couldn't explain why, I only told him that I, too, found it extremely irritating.

My son had a friend from China, a very bright young woman, new to learning English (her English was lovely, btw). But she was really confused by the word "go" - much as my mother had been. This young woman wanted to know what it meant when, for example, we said, "To turn the radio on you go-" and we'd push a button. Or, "You just go like this." She wanted to know what "go" meant. Sometimes it was easy to explain - but many times we were stumped!

Every baby is born with a "language acquisition device." An LAD. Something in the brain that tells us to respond to and learn language. Language is a method of survival. We learn by hearing and repeating what we hear. You never took a formal class in English, owl, but you did take a "class" in the sense that you heard English spoken, you repeated what you heard, and thus you became a speaker of American English.

I can't exactly say that I speak Hebrew as a second language, but growing up as a Jewish child I spent a lot of time reciting prayers in the synagogue. I picked up Hebrew pronunciation before I could have been aware of doing do, I was so young, and my pronunciation of that language remains very good.

btw- as for the way a language sounds, when I was in Ireland I felt like everyone around me was singing when they spoke. Sometimes I would close my eyes and just float on the lyrical sound of the Irish accent. I've heard many, many languages and accents, but never one quite so beautiful.

True, I repeated what I heard, but I still wonder how I seemed to instinctively "know" what words to use to express my thought, as in "Stop that noise!" Or "What are you watching?" How did I know? I never heard of an LAD, in a human to boot. I mean the word "device" sounds like it's referring to a robot.

I did take English GRAMMAR, but that's different. Thanks for posting about how we sound to others who don't understand English or not much. I'm glad I can't "hear" that.

As for "go, people say "I have to go" as in have to go to the bathroom, LOL. So a non-English speaker might say "Go where?" As a teenager, we said "going together" which meant dating. I overheard a teacher say "Going where together?"

We said "shack up" as living together, but I guess that was crude.

I LOVE the IRISH BROGUE!!! SO lovely sounding.

Their music is great too, I love it. Scottish accent is great too, Australian, anything but American. We are boring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Beth*

Ohhh...and French, when spoken properly....*swoon*....

Swoon is right!

*Beth* · 03:29 PM

There's something to the generation thing, though. A lot of it is defined by popular music, I think. The music of the era, I mean. A lot. Pop culture in the contemporary world has so much power. Look at the internet. It's pop culture.

Nov 13, 2022 at 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Beth*

Ohhh...and French, when spoken properly....*swoon*....

you'd hate me then, i sucked at french at school

i cannot spell

nonightowl · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willowtigger

you'd hate me then, i sucked at french at school

i cannot spell

I took French in junior high and still remember some words! And I still have my dictionary---paperback and still in one piece!

Beth, generations are defined by music alright but also values, behavior, and WORDS!!! Remember "groovy" and "far out"? You're near my age.

The Woodstock generation had the best music period.

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willowtigger

you'd hate me then, i sucked at french at school

i cannot spell

French is haaard!

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonightowl

I took French in junior high and still remember some words! And I still have my dictionary---paperback and still in one piece!

Beth, generations are defined by music alright but also values, behavior, and WORDS!!! Remember "groovy" and "far out"? You're near my age. The Woodstock generation had the best music period.

Yes, I edited my "pop culture" post.

*Beth* · Nov 13, 2022 at 03:33 PM

I took 2 years of French in high school, achieved a decent degree of pronunciation, but was lost on the rest of it. My son was a French minor at univ, attended Nanterre in Paris (where the students spoke only French). He says he still struggles with French, but I think it's exciting to hear him speak it.

Nov 13, 2022 at 03:46 PM

The only bit of french i can remember is par le voo francay (told you i cannot spell)

MuddyBoots · Nov 13, 2022 at 05:24 PM

c'est le chien
that's about all I know.

Nammu · Nov 13, 2022 at 07:09 PM

Bonjour
Au Revour
Adieu
Oui

That is all and my pronunciation is audacious

mote.of.soul · Nov 13, 2022 at 07:45 PM

I think for the most part, other than on mental health type websites, generally, people use the words 'narc' and 'toxic' quite loosely meaning basically a very selfish, horrible, abusive type of person. At least that's the impression I get. And to that extent it probably is a fairly accurate description of their perception of the person - or at least, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt about that. Because I wouldn't take it as a literal psych evaluation of the person unless otherwise stated. 'Narc' and 'toxic' are basically general terms. But people can quite easily slap a label on others using those terms too, if they're say hurt or upset with someone. It happens. That's what I see on the internet.

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MuddyBoots Monster on the Hill Member Since Sep 2020 Location: by the river Posts: 4,123 (SuperPoster!) 3 4,829 hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 02:32 PM #44 You can learn English through tough thorough thought though. __________________ Live life for nothing but that sweet sweet melody.
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Beth catches the flowers Member Since Jul 2019 Location: Downtown Vibes, California Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!) 4 23.7k hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 03:04 PM #47 *Ohhh...and French, when spoken properly....swoon....* __________________
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Beth catches the flowers Member Since Jul 2019 Location: Downtown Vibes, California Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!) 4 23.7k hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 03:16 PM #51 There's something to the generation thing, though. A lot of it is defined by popular music, I think. The music of the era, I mean. A lot. Pop culture in the contemporary world has so much power. Look at the internet. It's pop culture. __________________ Last edited by Beth; Nov 13, 2022 at 03:29 PM..
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Beth catches the flowers Member Since Jul 2019 Location: Downtown Vibes, California Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!) 4 23.7k hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 03:33 PM #56 I took 2 years of French in high school, achieved a decent degree of pronunciation, but was lost on the rest of it. My son was a French minor at univ, attended Nanterre in Paris (where the students spoke only French). He says he still struggles with French, but I think it's exciting to hear him speak it. __________________
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Anonymous32448 Guest Posts: n/a	Nov 13, 2022 at 03:46 PM #57 The only bit of french i can remember is par le voo francay (told you i cannot spell)
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MuddyBoots Monster on the Hill Member Since Sep 2020 Location: by the river Posts: 4,123 (SuperPoster!) 3 4,829 hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 05:24 PM #58 c'est le chien that's about all I know. __________________ Live life for nothing but that sweet sweet melody.
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Nammu Crone Member Since May 2010 Location: Some where between my inner mind and the solar system. Posts: 71,350 (SuperPoster!) 13 53.6k hugs given	Nov 13, 2022 at 07:09 PM #59 Bonjour Au Revour Adieu Oui That is all and my pronunciation is audacious __________________ *Nammu* …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann
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