What is this? – How technology changes language…

It is funny how technology changes the way that we think about things and has also redefined what we call objects over time.

Lets do a quiz – what is this?

Question: Do you think it’s a floppy disk? Or do you think it’s the button you press to save things you your computer?

How about this?

Question: Do you think it’s a digital camera? or a camera?

 

Last one, define one of these:

Question: Is it someone you trust with your secrets or a button your press on a social networking space?

 

I think that language and how we refer to things is really important. It is one of the reasons that I get annoyed when we still refer to e-learning, e-assessment and e-safety.

It is 2011 and the digital words completely surrounds us. Is it not time we just talked about learning, assessment and safety. ‘Digital’ and ‘electronic’ can no longer be bolted on if we want to provide the very best for our children in a rapidly evolving and complicated globalized world.

I belive that common language is also one of the keys to keeping our children safe on line. Words like ‘friend’ have been re-defined. We must to talk to young people using new definitions but at the same time explain our traditional and ethical values.

If you want some more evidence of how technology is moving on really quickly. Watch this lovely YouTube Video below – it is sub-titled in English but I loved how one of the young children thought that the kitchen weighing scales might be ‘a bomb!’

Thanks to Anthony Salcito, at Microsoft for pointing out this video to me on his blog.

 

Comments

[Pete Bradshaw]

Also... my step daughter (aged 27)posted something on a Facebook page agreeing with one side of a particularly strong debate. She got the usual comments, but then she said "Someone was so taken by what I said they actually in-boxed me. A proper e-mail". Of course it wasn't an e-mail at all it was a direct message.

[Joe Wilson]

Bit that gets me is we call lots of stuff video when video hardly actually exists in either the capturing , storing or playing processes
We need a better word in this space.

[Almost American]

Bizarrely, the thing that looked like a kitchen scale was actually an 8-track! I don't remember ever seeing one in the UK, but my first car in the USA had one!

[Ollie Bray]

Good story Pete! and you are right Joe - perhapes we do need a better word for video.

Almost American - I can't belive that is not a kitchen scales! I should be in the video!

Thanks for your comments guys!

OB

[twitter.com/josepicardo]

As a linguist, Im always amazed at the power of language to both adapt itself and to shape the way we think.

I came to study at university in England after I finished my secondary schooling in Spain. Shortly after my arrival pcs, email and the internet pretty much took over.

Although my native tongue is Spanish, I learned to use vocabulary such as mouse, click, download,upload, etc in English first. When I started teaching Spanish in England pupils would ask me things like "Sir, how do you say click in Spanish".

Embarrassingly, I'd always have to go and look it up!

Proof that school does not prepare you for the challenges of the future? Up to you to decide.

[Brian O'Connell]

I hadn't thought about the 'Save' icon before. Yes, it's funny that the icon is a 3.5" floppy. Some computers don't even have floppy drives by default any more.

But what would be a better representation? A hard drive? I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't recognize one of those, either, but not because they're become obsolete!