From “remember” to “reminder”: Our use of English words shows laziness and thoughtlessness

One generation had to remember. Today, it needs a “reminder.” Something that was once difficult is now “tough,” while being busy has become simply “busy.”

The commentary argues that each generation develops its own language pattern, or chronolekt, and that contemporary Danish increasingly absorbs English expressions. Earlier generations described something as difficult, while current speakers may call it “tough.” Being generous or tolerant has become being “large.”

The writer takes a sharply critical view of this change, linking the expanding use of English to laziness and a lack of thought. The description adds that many young people seem to crave English words and calls the scale of their use “the wildest binge-use” the writer has seen.

The conclusion is not optimistic about a quick reversal. The phenomenon is described as “an era,” and the writer says it may not fade away anytime soon.