You’re Such a Beast

It’s easier to recognize this when you’re in High School.  The meaning of so many words have changed over the years.  Our growing society plus the advancements of technology have not only added strange words to our language but also have started to turn around the negative connotations of many words into actual compliments.  ”Google” and “texting” have become words commonly used in the English language but those are simply words obtained through newer technology.  On the other hand though, you have words that once meant such rude and crude things turning into.. compliments?  Just a while ago, if you called a girl in your class a “beast” you’d probably get hit in the face.  Hard.  And be the laughing stock of the school.  But now if you call someone a “beast”, it’s suddenly a compliment that would probably make that girl’s day and hey, it might even win you a date, who knows?  Along with the word beast comes the change in words such as “Monster”.  Who knows where this is going?  Perhaps the words “grotesque” and “horrendous” are next in line for a 21st century reality check.

Some words are not surprising.  We now use “Chill” and even sometimes use “Chillax” (as a combination of Chill and Relax).  But didn’t those words come from “cool”?  Then shall we assume that we got to “cool” through “cold”?  Wait so, how did cold ever mean a good thing?  Even today, if you call someone cold it means they’re not such a good person.  In doesn’t seem to fit, how “cool” become a good thing.

I guess the explanation is that language is always changing, always being reinvented.  That’s why we keep learning and keep reflecting and keep writing.