A Younger Voice
Alex W. Davis

Why is it that the young people of today don't seem to care how they write or speak?

I cringe when I hear some of the improper English that's commonly spoken by most people my age- and many people older than me!

I'm reminded of the words of wisdom shared with me not long ago by former Emporium resident Steve Urbaski, who's now with the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.

Steve said a young person who can master the skills of writing and speaking "can do anything in life."

It's certainly one way to stand out in a crowd. Most teens today seem to take pride in NOT using proper grammar, and the same can be said for many adults. They've gotten lazy and allowed bad habits to become ingrained.

Just about anywhere one goes in Cameron County, one hears, "I seen" instead of "I saw." Also, an unacceptable amount of people say "it don't," when they should say "it doesn't."

Instant-messaging is even worse. Chatters have converted the word "probably" to "prolly" or, for those who really want to shorten it, "pry."

You is now "u." If someone has to take a bathroom break, a common advisory is, "Whiz. BRB" (short for "be right back"). There are countless other examples.

That kind of communication, for the most part, is informal, which makes it more understandable. But, as people use computers to communicate more and more in this age of instant communication, the shortcuts and "chat-ese" make their way into formal communication far too often.

Is this a lack of education, laziness, or a combination of the two?

There's plenty of laziness at the high school level. For most students, the attitude is, "Just get the bare minimum done, and do it at the last minute." Sadly, that "path of least resistance" attitude robs people of their potential.

We should set the bar higher for our own individual communications. Steve Urbanski's words echo in my head, as do those of former Cameron County School District educator Ms. Debbie Dunkle, who warned, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Maybe we should make it part of our life's plan to work on our communication skills.

Remember, here in Cameron County, you may fit in with certain crowds when you use "I seen" or "it don't," but to people who have made speaking properly a priority in life will take you less seriously when they hear those words come out of your mouth. Some people will tune you out completely.

So, the next time you catch yourself saying "I seen" or "it don't," stop and correct yourself. And it doesn't hurt to correct the people around you.