Change in Today’s Linguistic Articulation

It appears that the existence of a modern ‘shift’ in today’s delivery of speech has become apparent. From the common mispronunciation of the letter ‘H’, to the incorrect use of the terms “me, myself and I”. Here I am simply sharing my recognitions, thoughts and acknowledgements of this occurrence and its development.

 

Firstly, the pronunciation of the letter ‘H’. It seems that a significantly increasing style of articulating this letter is to assign the letter’s sound to the beginning of the word, forming ‘haitch’ rather than ‘aitch’. Not only is this grammatically incorrect, but has somehow succeeded in becoming a subject of dispute largely between the younger generations of today’s society. This brings to question the quality and efficiency of both today’s edification and education. With teachers, lecturers and academics in a position of influence over impressionable and aspiring students, who are fundamentally looking to some extent self-improve both morally and intellectually; it is of the upmost importance that these role models are exemplar citizens of correctness, meticulousness and precision in society.

 

I mention academics in particular, before parents, as a result of an observation I encountered when I progressed to university. Having grown up in a small community in Sussex, traditional values didn’t go amiss and the importance of traditional eloquence was encouraged. Moving to a city to begin my studies at university was definitely an experience. Living amongst a diverse array of people brought about new norms and values. For example, I found people tended to be a lot more selfish in terms of putting their interests first, and city life quickly began to feel largely, an individualist place. I was introduced to new terminology and local slang, and developed an understanding that this ‘real life’ couldn’t be further away from the sheltered ‘bubble’ community I had become accustomed to back in Sussex. My faculty at university, ‘the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences’, or ‘HLS’ ensured that the dreaded ‘aitch’ or ‘haitch’ debate was inescapable. With only a small team of lecturers that I encountered in my first year, it didn’t take me too long to discover that three out of this small team of academics were firmly sitting on the ‘haitch’ side of the fence. Interestingly enough, these were all middle-aged lecturers. The most senior, head of department is in fact the youngest of the department, and all be it a Cambridge graduate, has been one of the only few lecturers I have encountered that correctly articulates the ‘aitch’ in his department of ‘HLS’.

 

With ‘older’ role models such as these lecturers representing a more matured generation, and being in such a position of influence in a progressively dependent society like our own; what hope do we have in preserving ‘correctness’, producing a developing generation of intellectuals, and in preventing the growth and escalation of an increasingly apathetic and ‘uninterested’ generation?