Technology and Language…Always Changing!

     I am sure you have heard the timeless expression, “The more things change, the more they stay the same”. In reference to writing technologies, and technological tools in writing, it is safe to say that change is inevitable, and the fact that things are always changing is a phenomenon that remains the same. Have I confused you yet with my attempt to be profound? One fact that remains the same concerning change is the evolution or turn over of language. What was “groovy” in the 60’s, was “fresh” in the 80’s, “awesome” in the 90’s, and “fab” in the 21^st century. Well, the same holds true with this new world of  technological advancements and venues for writers. With the emergence of the internet and writing -“cyber”spaces comes a completely new vocabulary of terms never experienced before now. “Net vibes“, “blog rolls“, “widgets”, and “social bookmarking“…”tag clouds”, “links”, “hypertext”, and “information ecologies“…if you wield these terms around in front of your parents or grandparents, they may look at each other and you as if you are literally speaking a foreign language. There is no doubt that technology is changing, and broadening our scope and style of writing; and with this burgeoning genre comes an entourage of new terms to learn and understand. When these terms are first introduced to a “virgin technologist” they are faced with a grimace and a snicker; but once they are applied and understood, they become comfortable and natural to our budding “vocabulary” reservoir and begin to be slung around with ease and sass, adding to our own sense of “coolness”, competency, and self-efficacy.