C: Expanding the Mother Tongue. Time for a Vocabulary Lesson.

dictionary In my heyday, long past,  “text” was a noun.  In this 21st century world, “text” has become a verb: If you want to send someone a “text message” from your phone, you “text” him.  People have wrecks while texting in their car.  So, we see the English language expanding to fit our lifestyle.

I have grown to like text messaging, but only in a limited sense.   I am definitely not hooked on it, as some seem to be.   I probably send or receive a text message once or twice in an average week.  They are extremely useful in situations (court, for example) where answering the phone is impossible but you need to send or receive information.  Usually the message will be something like “Witness is running late—she’ll be there in five minutes.” 

I find text messages useful but not particularly personal nor a primary means of communication.

And then there is the “tweet,” which is no longer simply a description of bird talk.  No, those who use the social media Twitter are now said to “tweet” their messages.  I am determined to look into Twitter and learn to tweet—it can’t be rocket science given those who make the news using it—but have not taken the time.  I suspect that I am going to find that this is not a partictextingularly personal-feeling means of communication either.

But, apparently, there are those who do find these to be extremely personal means of exchange.  Take U S Congressman Anthony Weiner, for example.  You may recall that I only recently wrote about the Congressman here.  At that time the Washington Weiner had not yet come  clean about his very personal tweeting and text messaging.  Now, it seems, he’s tearfully confessed that he has had inappropriate text/twitter messaging with at least six women. 

Aha! So it was him and not an evil hacker!  I knew it!  Didn’t you?

But, let’s move on back to the topic of language.  I am told from the news that what Weiner was doing is called “Sexting,” which apparently comes from combining the word “Sex” with the verb “Text.”  Voila!  How cute! A new English word.  Sexting.  

I became personally familiar with sexting a couple of years ago wtext languagehen I discovered some “Sexts” (is this the right word???) on my husband’s phone.  Oh, dear!  They were X-rated—no, they were XXX-rated!  It amazed me that so much description could be packed into so few words.  And the names by which his girlfriend signed off were, well, they, too, were imaginative, but, alas, are not repeatable here. 

Hubby answered with equally-“sexy” messages, but I must admit he was not nearly word-agile as his lover in this game.  As my husband’s best friend said when I told him of them: “Whoa!  She’s a pro!”  True.

When confronted, my husband, himself, said: “I am embarrassed.  This reminds me of junior high.”

I agree.  But it didn’t quit.   Notwithstanding his professed embarrassment, he continued right along, apparently unable to break free from the fantasy admiration he felt from these missives, juvenile or not.  I found more steamy sext messages right before we split for good.  And he even admitted that he loved the game of sexting.  It was, apparently, a huge turn-on and addictive.  (I’m telling you men think differently from women…)

You may recall that Congressman Weiner is not the first to fall to Sexting urges.  Former (as in “now resigned”) New York Congressman Chris Lee was sending out his manly pictures to Craig’s List—to anyone interested, and his sending them in the first place tells me that he was so proud of himself that he just knew there would be public interest out there.  If you want to review Congressman Lee’s advertising picture, you can find it at my post. of February 10, 2011 (hyperlink gadget just will not work here for some reason).  As for Weiner, here is one of his tamer picture-messages:

wiener%20shirtless%20big%20journalism%20com What a charmer?  Who wouldn’t fall for this hunk, right?  Isn’t that what this guy was thinking?  (are you as embarrassed for him as I am?  His poor wife!). 

You can also Google and find the infamous crotch shot—through underwear, thankfully.  I will spare you a copy of that picture, here, but I will say with regard to the same: “Poor Weiner…”  I think that the thrill of this sexting thing must over-inflate one’s estimation of himself, if you get my drift…

And the person he was wooing (was he “wooing” her?) ratted him out, saying, “He’s got some serious issues…”  No doubt, but I’m sorry to say that these issues are not rare in the male community.  Like it or not.

So, everyone: Get out your vocab lists and update.  And thanks to these hunks for expanding our mother tongue!  C

Comments

mamahasspoken said…
My family and I were talking about Congressman Wiener yesterday and how if he had admitted it in the beginning this wouldn't have been a HUGE story. Which leads one to wonder his motive. It has also been reported that he has had an 'internet affair' with 6 other women. Which leads me to question when it became ok to do this when you are married?
Vickie said…
What I can't believe now is that the Perv won't step down, and the liberal media is trying to save his job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am just outraged that some people will look the other way so the Dems can keep their narcissistic congressman! And what does this teach our young people??? Our congresspeople and leaders should be people of integrity and honesty and be good examples to those coming up behind. I'm just fit to be tied on this whole incident!!!
Vee said…
I hope that he has the good sense to resign as I am one who does think that what he does in his off time affects what he does in government. One thing is sure, he's not to be trusted. (Hope his wife kicks him to the curb and gets on with her own life.)
This is SO over my head...most of it, tweeting, texting...don't understand it and can't do it.
As to Wiener man...what a complete and total embarrassment!
But he's not resigning from Congress, oh no. The worm will continue to "represent" his district. A horse whipping is too good for him!
Just heard on the radio that the people polled in NY want him to stay in. I had never really heard of him before--just seems like he should be so embarrassed and ashamed. Maybe he is--I don't know if his contrition is genuine, but hope so.
Some men just seem so juvenile--makes me wonder.

Cowgirl V
Anonymous said…
I've had to quiz my kids on this stuff, and I've learned a lot of it on the news. It's probably safe to assume that lots of men are involved on some level or another. Things are just too out there and too accessible. Takes an incredibly strong man to consciously ignore this stuff.
Suzanne said…
And it gets worse and worse. More graphic pics over the internet, it's revealed his wife is in the first stages of a pregnancy and then.....WAIT FOR IT....... I accidently turn on CNN and Eliott Spitzer is covering the Wiener story. Seriously???? The world has gone mad.
KathyB. said…
This is a sad commentary on the state of communication . It is even more sad Mr. Weiner thinks sending these messages is appealing. His poor family.( he deserves no good things from this )
KathyB. said…
I just read your comment about the people of New York wanting Weiner to stay in, makes me concerned even more about our country because we are going to get what we deserve for this kind of thinking and behaving on such a grand scale. Not that we aren't already suffering the consequences .

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