Hello Everyone,

I have noticed on more than one occasion that the majority of the people I speak too suddenly seem to have adopted various catch phrases or particular ways of emphasizing certain words.

Now these people do not live in the same geographical areas as each other and as such there isn't any way they would have picked up the traits from each other.

In particular I've noticed people placing particular emphasis on the word "Thank You" with it being said almost in a childish or baby like manner.

Another on I've picked up on is people saying "Bye Bye Bye Bye" when ending a conversation on the phone.

I'll admit this isn't a particular conspiracy as such but was simply wondering on peoples opinions on how people geographically apart start adopting similar speaking habits?

Cheers,

I live in Northern China, CCTV ( Central China Television) Broadcasts to almost 3 Billion people in Asia and Eastern Europe. Their Channel 9 is the English language version of news in China, channel 9 has potential of almost 4 Billion people when USA and Europe as they broadcast Channel 9 worldwide.
linguistic mannerism's have the potential of being sent to most of the world at the same time through broadcast Media, that does not originate in the mother tongue region, in this case the USA or England.

It could be that in the near future China will influence the English language more than American Media.

I don't think I hear the words Thank You enough. I find that people take things and never consider the other person at all.

I have never been a "Thank you" card kind of person, but I constantly thank people when they do something for me or if they even consider what I am saying.

I do like to hear the words "Bub-bye", like how the stewardesses are always joked about saying. "Bub-bye", "Bub-bye" LOL I like it.

I do get a bit overwhelmed when a person has a difficult time expressing themselves. I also notice that here in my region of the World that children and young adults do not know how to respond to strangers. I get the oddest looks and the strangest reactions when I speak to strangers, especially in public.

I hear that in the largest, most condensed places on Earth that people do not even look each other in the eyes. I heard this about NYC. Looking at people in the eye is a form of engagement and they are not accustomed to it and take offense. I am a severe people watcher, they would hate me in NYC.

Personally, I find the English language massacred by the British, most times I can cope and get it but I would not survive as a whole until I could re-tune my ears at hearing the inflection and accents. It does amaze me that when other more heavily accented English speaking people sing, that they sing like we speak here in America (well some of us LOL).

I doubt I could cope well with Bostonians; but isn't it funny that all the ruling upper class of Massachusetts speak without the accent. I am sure this might be true in other eastern States as well. Maybe inflection and accents are a sign of social status as much as catch phrases are.

I am probably the worst person to comment on catch phrases because I really am rarely around people anymore. I do not watch much TV, and so I am limited to movies as my influencing media. If I was put into a crowd I would stick out like a sore thumb.

Originally posted by Greensage
If I was put into a crowd I would stick out like a sore thumb.

I wouldn't worry about it! It's good to be different, makes the world a more interesting place (well sometimes!)

I can honestly say that the two examples I mentioned in the OP haven't, to my knowledge, been on the Television, Internet or other form of media.

Even my girlfriend started to say "thank you" in that way (for those who are interested its said more like "fank quoo" I'm genuinely interested in how such a strange pronunciation can spread across the country, I spoke to a work colleague who lives miles and miles away from me but he also pronounced "thank you" in the same manner.

i think it may stem back to early childhood, you learn to speak through copying, what really bugs me is text speak at times ill receive a message from someone that is full of it and i can't make heads nor tails of it. funny thing i always thought americans butchered the english language but then i realised media and an instant society is to blame nobody can be bothered to write or say something properly anymore hence all the LOL's and WTF's

edit for misspelling

[edit on 29/7/2010 by Anthony Massey]

...whats scary is the fact that members of the general population unwittingly pick up these catchphrases and use them in everyday conversation.

Its even scariest for me because 2 years ago i woked up a morning so filled to the limit by the crap presented on tv that i completely abandonned watching television, i don't have a tv in my house right now and i feel so good.

So when people uses expressions or talking like one of those brainless morrons starring in Big Brother i don't understand them or i don't get the jokes can you imagine how stupid they seem from my point of view.

scary you said...

A little bit like unwittingly global subliminal media...

For many years i am sooooo convinced they use mass media to dumb the population , dont forget they are at least 25 years ahead in technology, how easy ?

This is not normal that a so large amount of population are complete idiot barely able to sustain serious conversation or to process something more complicated than 1 + 1

About myself, you read my text and see all the grammatical errors , i know what you think but no i am not a idiot, im a french guy having big time writing in english

No seriously im fairly educated and can write a text in my own language with barely no faults, i can think by myself most of the time, i ( still ) can process complexe problems , i can see it when i act like an idiot and i can stop doing it.

So what's the problem ?

mind control + GMS food + chemtrails + disinformation campaign + fear campaign + fluoride / mercury water + candy like prescribed antidepressants + all i forgot

=

I feel pretty screwed
.
.



[edit on 29/7/2010 by B3lz3buth]

It's even worse in the business world. It's gotten so ridiculous, that I've created a white board in my cube titled "Brave New Words." So far the list is as follows and contains phrases that I hear people use every day.


Reach out
Cadence
Silo
Paradigm
Offline
Ping
Synch
Laser Focus
Win-Win
Net-Net
Roadmap
Journey
Noodle
Cludgey
Leverage
Engage
Forward the deck
Under separate cover
Parking lot
Circle back
Runway
Level set
Deep dive
Guardrail to guardrail
Open the kimono

Everytime I hear someone use these buzz words and phrases, I have to concentrate on not vomiting. It's just so annoying that so many people in the corporate world are so devoid of substance that they have begun to rely on the currency of style over substance. As a friend of mine once said, "He's all sizzle and no steak."

Bryan


[edit on 29-7-2010 by belowcommonknowledge]

Originally posted by Death_Kron
Now personally I find that even stranger than adopting a common saying or catchphrase! It's one thing to subconsciously adopt a phrase that you have heard through the media such as on the internet or TV but something entirely different to actually adopt a misspelling of a particular word.

Really? If I had a nickel for every time someone on ATS types "your" when they mean "you're", I would be a rich man many times over.

Originally posted by Greensage
Personally, I find the English language massacred by the British

I hate how the French speak French too.