How languages change over time
Oxford University Press (OUP) recently released the ‘BBC 500 Words: Oxford Children’s Language Report 2024’.
The report looks at common words and themes found in more than 40,000 stories written by children aged 5 to 11 for the BBC 500 WORDS writing competition last year.
Languages always change. The English we speak today is very different from the English spoken during Shakespeare’s time.
No one forces these changes. Instead, people change language naturally when they speak, write, and share new ideas.
Many things influence how a language changes, such as:
- New technology and inventions
- Travel and migration
- Cultural exchange between different groups of people
Pop culture’s role in influencing vocabulary!
The report found that Taylor Swift was mentioned 170% more often than in 2023!
The release of ‘Inside Out 2’ may have also influenced language. More children used words like joy, sadness, anxiety, envy, embarrassment, and ennui.
Words from TikTok trends appeared widely in children’s stories, including capybara and fanum tax.
Because children live in a digital world, they use words like glitching, scrolling, and buzzed more often.
What children think about politics and social issues
The word election was used more in 2024 than in previous years. However, mentions of recent wars, like Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Gaza, decreased. The name Donald Trump appeared in many stories.
Children are aware of climate change, but they wrote about it less in 2024 than in 2023. However, they talked more about mental health and neurodiversity, using words like bullying and anxiety.
Some things stay the same
Even though language is changing, some things remain the same. Football players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still the most popular, just like ten years ago.
Classic characters like Harry Potter, Batman, Superman, and Cinderella are still loved by children today. Gaming is still a favourite theme, and Minecraft remains the number one game.
