I find it interesting how so many of our word choices are not conscious choices at all, but are just a case of us using the word our parents used back when we were two, and leaning our vocabulary.
Heh, I guess that's prince_eldarion already doomed, then. Although having said that, I've noticed that actually Skordh has more of a tendency to use words from the non-U list [aside: I am quite annoyed about this, as it undermines my quite determined argument that he is posher than me], so El has been presented with both U and non-U words fairly equally. I expect, given this background, and the fact he goes to nursery where it seems far more common (er, as in 'usual') to say eg. toilet, he'll likely come out more non-U on balance. Oddly enough, I find myself slightly minding this, not (I sincerely trust) because of the U/non-U thing which I wasn't previously aware of, but because I find I am quite defensively attached to what I feel are the 'right' words, and somehow seem tied to loyalty to the parents and grandparents who taught them to me.
Gosh, this is all fascinating. I have always thought that about language, and the way language/words change and shift over time etc, but this adds an extra dimension of language choice, conscious or unconscious, to think about. Given how interesting I am finding this discussion, I think maybe I really should read that Watching the English book, which already sounded interesting from what you have previously said. Or, maybe I should *not*, given the potential risk of ending up in the slightly uncomfortable position of scrutinising *all* aspects of my own and others' behaviour, rather than merely speech, as I have found myself doing over the last couple of weeks...
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Date: 2008-01-17 09:13 pm (UTC)Heh, I guess that's
Gosh, this is all fascinating. I have always thought that about language, and the way language/words change and shift over time etc, but this adds an extra dimension of language choice, conscious or unconscious, to think about. Given how interesting I am finding this discussion, I think maybe I really should read that Watching the English book, which already sounded interesting from what you have previously said. Or, maybe I should *not*, given the potential risk of ending up in the slightly uncomfortable position of scrutinising *all* aspects of my own and others' behaviour, rather than merely speech, as I have found myself doing over the last couple of weeks...