Some thoughts on verbal development

Just some scribbling down of random musings I've been having.

The "S-word" phase:

There are two of them: "Stupid" and "Shut up." These are considered dirty words worthy of having your mouth washed out with soap until about second grade, when people stop caring whether or not you use them.

The "This is retarded" phase:

Second only in pure classiness (I use this sarcastically) to the "This is so gay" phase (which comes next), the "This is retarded" phase lasts from third grade until whenever someone sits you down and explains that, no, this is not, in fact, "retarded." A good parent or teacher can nip this in the bud and have a few months of peace before the next string of improper analogies is unleashed, or it can go on for years and years and years (See: Lindsay Lohan.)

The "This is so gay" phase:

Starts primarily among fourth and fifth graders who have no idea what the word even means. Generally allowed to last longer than "This is retarded" because no parent or school administrator wants to be the one to destroy youthful innocence. Among boys it can last into middle school or high school - most teachers seem to handle this one with "we don't use that word." Unlike the "this is retarded" phase, where I distinctly remember our whole class undergoing sensitivity training, I think we just got numerous reminders that "gay is not a synonym for stupid," all while never having the word actually defined. That comes later, in middle school.

The "Fuck this, fuck that, fuck you," phase:

With all more elaborate (and socially unacceptable) words eliminated from the vocabulary, middle schoolers begin experimenting with four letter words. While the other phases seem to arise spontaneously within the population of an elementary school (or at least I remember them this way), this one is learned from adults. It lasts forever. No one is amused.

Because we all need something to say when we stub our toes.

-Leez.