Home » Poems » Caren Krutsinger » Word Evolution

Word Evolution

Data, social media, hardware, cyberbullying, software, internet connection, zip drive. If the people who had to throw out pianos from covered wagons opened their ears to our world of today and heard our current speak, they would probably believe that they have awoken on a different planet, one with an odd new language. Can you fathom what they would think when they hear us banty about words like computer, telephone, digital reality, video games, refrigerators, Electricity, Chryslers, Fords, Chevys, Jeeps, and Buicks? A glimpse of a turned on TV set would probably have them climbing back into their wagon to hide under grandma’s lovingly made blanket, to pray that it would go away. Which makes me wonder, what was their word for glitzy and awesome? As culture changes and evolves, so do our words.

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/23/2018 10:25:00 PM

Interesting notion, that the inhabitants of a long-gone time would hide. I believe that they'd peek around, look, touch, feel, try, etc.---and that they'd go off somewhere out of range of all our nonsense and homestead/set up shop. … I feel this way because I am very much with them. I often feel that I have chanced upon an alien world, and would rather be living elsewhere. ~ Mr. ASP (Anti-Smart-Phone).

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/24/2018 7:08:00 AM

I am so into being a modern day Thoreau. At school the children all have their own laptops or Ipads now. So sorry. They need to be rapidly entertained. Cannot happen. We are humans, and we do not move so fast. In the afternoons I drive through bunches of people who are watching TV instead of the road, better yet, texting, which means they are not looking up at all.....then I get back to the safety of my country living home, and I go outside and play for at least thirty minutes. If it would be a decent temp I would be out there for four hours to try to shake the electronic age off.

Maurice Rigoler

Date: 8/23/2018 9:34:00 PM

I often think about people like Aristotle and how he'd react to our modern world? I think he'd be amazed rather than frightened at the progress (I use the word cautiously) that's been made since his day, don't you? Of course, he'd be saddened to know that the bulk of his "knowledge" is obsolete today, but I give him an A for trying.Thanks for stopping by to read my work. Best to you. /M

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/24/2018 7:11:00 AM

There are exceptions. The ones I think who would be fascinated are Socrates, Rembrandt, Amelia E, Aristotle, Coleridge, Poe, Eleanor and Franklin R, and the Wright Brothers. I think the masses, especially the ones who have not tapped into their curiosity or creativity would be parked in front of a cartoon channel, amazed, but not caring how it is done.