At 04:06 AM 8/16/2002 -0700, Caliann the Elf wrote: >>Hhhmmm, you would prefer the first speaker said " I am banging Susan like >>a nail every night"? <smiles> If that's the essence of what's going on, then yes. >>Most of the changes in language that evolve are due to people trying to >>be MORE considerate of one another. Including such little things as >>"Hopefully". I beg to disagree. I think very few changes have to do with consideration. >>I do agree that language, over the course of millinia, has become LESS >>complex, even though the culture it describes has become MORE >>complex. However, since this lessoning of complexity has occurred since >>the first known beginnings of language, I cannot see a way to change the trend. Nor have I any desire to do so. >>Language DOES change as societies evolve. It is part of the course of >>history. We have the choice of fighting it or evolving with it. <smiles> We have a third choice: attempting to influence, so that the changes that take place help to make the language more useful, flexible, and powerful. I don't think simplicity vs complexity is the issue--the exact details, and how they effect language, are the issue.