For #StarTrekDay:
It might surprise you to know that one of TNG's most famous episodes drives linguists up the wall, because the whole premise of "Darmok" is that this one species is uniquely reference-driven in their speech. In reality, *most* languages rely heavily on cultural context. It shouldn't have been a shock to anyone.
(But it's still a good episode. 😊)
Let's give it a try, though: Can you Darmok-ify recent news or culture in a way anyone who lived through it would understand?
Agreed! The Simpsons era was big for that. Before meme culture online, I knew tons of fellows who... didn't really seem to know how to communicate outside of Simpsons references. Every conversation! Every opportunity!
It's a fascinating part of how we communicate - because we're not just looking to share information; we're also trying to confirm a shared experience of reality. We all just want to know that we belong.
@MLClark @Heucuva8 @XSGeek I knew people like that, but with Monty Python references.
Or with Shakespeare, or Plato, or the Bible for that matter. You'll be having a conversation, and half or more of their responses were something witty someone else said. But we all knew who they meant, so we knew what they meant.
: )
@AskTheDevil @Heucuva8 @XSGeek
Exactly. :) Do you have a cultural touchstone you think your speech patterns lean on more than others?
@AskTheDevil @Heucuva8 @XSGeek
All of the ones you already mentioned are cultural touchstones - mainstream media, philosophy, the Bible, the Bard...
But if nothing springs to mind, that's fine! I also try to speak without "meme-ing" too much. It makes code-switching between speaking contexts easier, if I'm not always referencing specific media to get my point across.
@MLClark @Heucuva8 @XSGeek I do consciously code-switch, albeit for different reasons than most of the people I know who do it.
If I don't get a reference, I'll just look it up or ask someone. : )