valley views Like, what do you mean? P
icture this, you are like sitting with a group of like your friends and you start to pick up on like this pattern of saying like. But like why do we say like so much? Starting in the 1850s, the word “like” made its appearance more frequently in literature - a trend that continued steadily until the 1950s. That’s when “like” was picked up by the young and rebellious Beat Generation. Members of this Silent Generation counterculture movement introduced the word into their speech repetitively to symbolize their affiliation to the broader group. Using “like” became rather ubiquitous and subsequently aspired as shorthand or a stereotype in popular culture for the disdained group. Movies and early animated films in the 1950s frequently implemented this trope. Such slang spread around
the country before the defining trait. “Valley trend of injecting extra Speak” emerged-a socio“likes” went mostly dorlect or collection of slang mant. and alternate pronunciFast forward to the ation used by a specific 1970s when a new pheclass of people. Valley nomenon transpired on Speak included many the west phrases coast. A new that have group, Valley become Girls, adoptwidespread ed the “like” since like habit. Valley “Totally,” Girls were “Take a socioecoa chill nomic subpill,” and ben there culture that “Psych!” DONE that emerged The ValBen Stone in the upley Speak Media Production, Valley Journal per-midsociolect dle-class remained teenage and 20-somelargely a regional phething girls of San Fernomenon until a musinando Valley of Southern cian named Frank Zappa California. Members of released a song mocking this subculture were char- the trend - aptly named acterized by congregating “Valley Girl.” The song in malls and sporting hit the charts, and was a very definite sense adopted as an anthem of style, catered to by by the very girls Zappa emerging consumerism. meant to poke fun at. However, Valley Girls’ “Valley Girl” was even way of speaking was their nominated for a Gram-
Scraping the paint I
’ve taken up a new hobby: painting. I don’t paint walls or houses. I keep it smaller - to canvases, coasters and such. It’s not painting like you might think. My new leisure pursuit involves no brushes or rollers. What it lacks in
10 - March 2, 2022
brushes, this technique paint consistency and letmakes up for in paint. I ting it all just flow where literally pour it may. it onto the It’s called acrylic pour canvas and let it flow. I painting and Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist might spin it. it’s rather I might blow addictive. It on it with a allows you blow dryer or a straw, but to create art without the what it comes down to is control that art typically
Slices of Life
my! After the break-out success of the song, the California-based entertainment industry jumped on the bandwagon. Valley Girl tropes began popping up in movies and TV shows targeted at younger demographics. The modern teenager was birthed into the cultural consciousness. Thus “like” was seeping into North American English. Unlike its first major debut in the ‘50s, “like” continued its longevity as a fixture of speech. At first, the English word “like” presented with only two meanings: to feel attracted towards and secondly, similar to. But, over the last 150 years, “like” has expanded to four new distinct meanings, each one highly functional when speaking. The first…happened “like a month ago.” Or the quotative usage, “And he was like hello.” Thirdly,
“like” serves as a filler word similar to “um.” Lastly the word can apply stress or emphasis to something “like a lot.” All of this utility makes “like” a helpful tool in numerous conversational situations. The extensive use of “like” is often portrayed as an example of how younger generations are “ruining” the English language. While I do agree that English is changing, I believe the term “ruin” is being needlessly dramatic. Languages naturally evolve over time. Early English is borderline unintelligible to us today because of this process. If you don’t believe me, just look up a book called “The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye” by William Caxton published in 1473. Some people will bemoan and grumble about the continued evolution of English linguistics, but I prefer
encompasses - although the more involved and knowledgeable I become in the process, the more I realize the lack of control is but an illusion. It is control without control, which is the epitome of art, not to mention cool. It’s been a real learning curve. Continues to be,
for that matter. One thing I’ve come to understand is that not every piece is a masterpiece. Welcome to the world of Rembrandt and Da Vinci, not that I’d know for sure, but I suspect most artists – even the great ones – had their share of
Valley Journal
see page 11
to look at it through the lens of fascination. We are witnessing something unusual as new ways to verbally articulate and express ourselves are being uncovered. Like, how incredible is that!
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