Sunday, May 22, 2011

TV changes the way we talk

It's not just catchphrases, but it does include them. It also includes accents, vulgarity, political correctness (or lack thereof) and, in some cases, improved vocabulary. ("Stop watching TV and go do your homework." "But TV is making me smarter.") We watch a lot—a LOT—of TV, and it has its effect. John Perritano explains it in How Stuff Works:

"Since the average American watches approximately 153 hours of TV every month, it shouldn't come as a surprise that some of what is said on TV has crept into our language [source: Nielson]. Admit it: How many times did you say 'yada, yada, yada' when 'Seinfeld' was all the rage?... It's no secret that TV has had a great influence on popular culture. TV often sets trends in fashion, music and in language. Sometimes TV buzzwords or catchphrases even make it into the dictionary. For example, 'd'oh, Homer Simpson's smack-in-the-head lament, is now part of the Oxford English Dictionary."

What's the total effect? Read 10 Ways Television Has Changed the Way We Talk.

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