Week 6 Lab

"How Languages Evolve", via YouTube

Languages evolving seem to move along with culture. As societies branch off from each other and become their own, they developed in different ways. One way was by communication, which may differ slightly or greatly from their previous society, such as dialect. Various cultures emerged, influenced by their food, weather, and the people around them. These neighbors led to these separated societies altering their former way of life to become more accepted in the world around them, leaving their origins behind and attempting to integrate within those around them. However, despite people trying to start anew, nuances of their home language stuck around, combining with what they had learned and creating new languages. All of these minute evolutions create a richer family of language, studied by linguists for years.

"How to Use a Semicolon", via YouTube

I found it interesting that the video called a semicolon “stronger than a comma, and less final than a period”. I would agree with the statement to a certain extent. If there are several sentences in a row that include semicolons, it may be more effective to break up or rearrange the sentences into compound sentences, including a comma instead. If a semicolon is overused, it could actually be weaker than a comma when a piece is published. Just how the video said using multiple periods can become monotonous, the same thing can be said for a semicolon. While the video claimed the semicolon was an “underappreciated punctuation mark”, I feel I appreciate the semicolon more than the average person. As a journalism student, we’re taught about brevity; brevity is the concise and exact use of words in writing or a speech. If a semicolon is overused, brevity is overlooked, which can lead to uninteresting writing.

"Does Grammar Matter?", via YouTube

Before even watching this video, I already have a strong opinion on this. Grammar does matter! Nothing drives me crazier than seeing someone use improper grammar, especially something simple like “their/there/they’re” or “its/it’s”. I was interested to hear about prescriptivism and descriptivism. I feel the two go along with the previous language evolution video, in that it should be decided and developed depending on the society and culture.

"Choose Your Words Tiles", via Unsplash