Showing results for "Evolution of the Word" in Politics & Social Sciences

In its long history, the English language has had many lawmakers - those who have tried to regulate or otherwise organize the way we speak. The Lexicographer's Dilemma poses a pair of questions: What does proper English mean? And who gets to say what's right? Our ideas of correct or proper English have a history, and today's debates over the state of the language - whether about Ebonics in schools, the unique use of language in a South Park episode, or split infinitives in the Times - make sense only in historical context.

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down to talk about the evolution of mating language, and how its words have changed over time. I believe that one of the best ways to understand language and its evolution is through dating culture, so I’m looking at words related to how humans date and mate — specifically the experiences that go on within the context of the dating scene. I will break down terms such as “body count,” “ran through” and why I’m arguing they’re a sign of how much society has degraded over time.