Dinosaurs, as we all know, eventually become extinct and no trace of them is left on planet Earth except the occasional fossil found by an enterprising paleontologist.
Which reminds me that my daughter reported this conversation with her 13-year-old son the other day on the drive home from school:
“Mama,” said the 13-year-old, “is it possible to know when a pterodactyl goes to the bathroom?”
“I have no idea,” my daughter said. “Is it?”
He replied, “No, ma’am...because the P is silent.”
Which proves that although language may change, 13-year-old boys never do.
However, language changes so slowly that no one notices what is happening until suddenly no one speaks Anglo-Saxon any more. Except J.R.R. Tolkien, of course, and he is dead.
My current pet peeve (and I hope it is occurring just in America and not throughout the entire English-speaking world) has to do with the past tense of the verb (or rather, the infinitive) to sneak.
Forty years ago the dictionary said the past tense of sneak is “sneaked”.
Twenty-five years ago the dictionary said the past tense of sneak is “sneaked non-standard snuck”.
Ten years ago the the dictionary said the past tense of sneak is “sneaked informal snuck”.
Today, dictionary.com says the past tense of sneak is “sneaked or snuck”.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
At one time, correct word usage was determined by what educated people said. Nowadays, you don’t have to be educated. Anything goes.
I for one will never say snuck. Accordingly, I will soon be extinct myself.
One more thing: Despite what millions of Americans say every single day, drug is not the past tense of drag.
It’s dragged, people. Dragged.
