SUPERLATIVES

SUPERLATIVES

 In the English classes of school time,  we were taught that adjectives which are to be used to describe anything can be – Good, Better or Best. I believe this is still the practice and the present generation is being taught in the same way.

 
All of us grew up with these – good better best - notions. A simple nourishing daal- roti- bhindi sabji- rice  meal was good; if sabji was matar with chatpata mango achaar then it was better; but if the meal was matar pulao with kheer it was best !


We wrote 100 word essays on this topic in class tests, or 200 to 300 word essays in final exams to that effect. Everyone – the class teacher, the examiner were happy that we had learnt proper English usage, the children were happy to pass out, and the parents were happy to see us getting good scores.
 Time passes and suddenly in the last decade or so we see that mentioning something as even ‘Best’ is not good enough !!
Switch to any channel telecasting any kind of talent show of singing / dancing / acrobatics – whether for children / housewives / couples. The judges do not use any epithet less than  “Awesome” /  “Mind blowing” / “Earth shattering” and so on, to describe the presentation put up by the participants.


The younger generation - our very own children included, now use terms such as “awesome/ mind-blowing/ out of this world” to their friends when describing any dress or food item or gift etc. It is as if simple words such as “good or nice” have gone out of fashion.


Even a simple photo taken with smartphone is termed as AWESOME by their friends. Wonder what it would be called if it is really a superb photo ?

We who passed out using good /better /best are stumped on these earth shattering praise words, and are left wondering whether the simple words we used may be felt as “too little praise” or maybe “we did not like it” !!!


I hope to see the day when the words used now, are replaced by some next level words !!!


Comments

  1. K B Mathur15 May 2020 at 23:37

    Very critical observation of fancy adverbs in present day's common parlance.Every one wants to project that they belong to planet not accessible to commoners forgetting the fact that they grew up from same root.

    ReplyDelete

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