Aesthetic Sweaters

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Melissa. I’m from Greensboro, North Carolina.

Hey, Melissa, we’re glad to have you. What’s on your mind today?

I actually have raised five children, three millennials and two Gen Z.

And I’ve gotten in so many arguments with my Gen Zs because they’re changing the definition of words.

And there’s no winning the argument.

I finally had to just succumb because the first time my youngest daughter said, that’s not my aesthetic.

I was like, you mean it’s not aesthetically pleasing to you?

What do you mean?

What are you saying?

And we got this huge debate.

And then she was calling sweaters, sweatshirts.

And I’m like, I mean, sweatshirt, sweaters.

Okay.

And I said, you can’t.

You have to pull a string to unravel a sweater.

So that can’t be a sweater.

It’s a sweatshirt.

And she was calling hoodies pullovers.

And I’m like, no, that’s a hoodie.

And it just became, I was like speaking Japanese to her.

I actually recorded my daughter saying something to my next youngest son saying, ain’t a way, ain’t a way, ain’t a way.

And I’m like, what is that word?

And they just are using the like little abbreviations.

It’s ain’t no way really fast.

And I’m just lost completely in their conversation.

So aesthetic. I’ve heard younger people now say that’s so aesthetic and shorthand for that’s so aesthetically pleasing to me.

I’ve noticed this as well.

That’s fine, I guess.

Oh, yeah. They make entire Pinterest boards like this is my aesthetic.

Right.

Oh, that’s not my aesthetic.

And I’m like, oh, my gosh.

So I’ve succumbed to that.

I will. So I can communicate.

I will use it.

It feels weird, but it’s OK.

Champions adjust.

All right.

So here’s the thing, Melissa.

I mean, I mean, suggest to approach to you.

It doesn’t always work, but sometimes works.

It’s like dealing with pets or toddlers.

Even in the teen years and well into the 20s with children when it comes to language, any engagement, even negative engagement, is still engagement.

It’s kind of like dealing with spammers or scammers online.

Even if you reply to them and say, stop sending me this, you’re still replying to them.

That’s true.

When you complain, you’re still engaging.

My advice is indifference.

Very, very good advice.

Just regard.

Just roll your eyes.

Jim X, come on.

You’re very good at rolling your eyes.

You know?

Exactly.

All kinds of gestures.

Just like a little sigh, a huffy voice.

That’s all you need.

Come on, Mom.

You got it.

That’s true.

Well, and I do have hope for my youngest.

She’s actually a freshman in college now.

This is her first year.

And she’s maturing in communication.

Yeah.

Okay.

I’m like, I have hope.

They’ll teach it out of her, you think?

I don’t know.

I’m just, you know, I have hope.

I have hope.

Well, and these changes are interesting, you know, just seeing language change right under our feet.

I mean, think of it as interesting field work.

Yeah, on a serious note, to spring from what Martha just said, that’s the real interesting point here.

If you can take your frustration and set it aside for a moment is here you are observing language change in the real.

In real time, in front of you with real life, actual subjects, research subjects that you raised yourself, you know, and you know them intimately and you, and you’ve got data.

It’s kind of interesting, you know, and you can record it.

I don’t know if you journal or anything like that, but maybe consider noting this down.

And in 10 or 20 years, when they have kids of their own, their kids will eat this stuff up.

Their own kids will love your memories of their parents at this time and the way that they spoke.

Yeah, that’s true.

Yeah, that’s a great idea.

And I do journal.

Just think about the cold, cold revenge you can get later with your grandkids by sharing these stories.

It’s going to be sweet.

It’s going to be sweet with all of my children.

But enjoy the language change as you witness it.

Think about the way and see if you can relate to what you did to language when you were that age.

I’m sure there’s stuff.

Yeah, I did.

And being in the South, my children have actually picked up some of the language.

I’ve heard them say hodgepodge, which is crazy to me, or cattywampus.

Cattywampus is a big one.

You know?

Yeah.

And I’m like, keep it going.

Keep it going.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

You’re seeing the tributaries of language that’s spread.

It’s centrals.

Yeah, that’s pretty cool.

Yeah.

Well, that’s great.

Yeah.

Melissa, rock and roll your bad self.

Take care now.

All right.

Thank you, guys.

That’s so much.

I appreciate it.

Bye-bye.

Have a great day.

Take care, Melissa.

Bye-bye.

Well, fellow kids, you can call us at 877-929-9673 to get in on the fun.