Words.

"It's like you're speaking a different language."

English is a tough language. I admire those whose first language is not English, but they work so hard to study and perfect it until they are fluent. Often times, these individuals even speak English with better grammar or word choice than we as native English-speakers do, probably because we take it for granted. We use slang, but we don't try hard enough to use lesser-known, more accurate words to describe something. We often do not appreciate the dedication it takes for people to learn English, of people who make up a significant percentage of our country's population.

Now, this post isn't going to be about American immigrants or language barriers. It's about a different kind of language, a language that can bring people together or separate them. Language that should be used to make people feel connected and proud.

Just to put this whole language thing in perspective, I'd like to give some examples of struggles of the English language, even for English speakers. I've had interactions with many individuals from different countries, and quite a few of them were also from English-speaking countries like England or Australia, but they use different words to describe the same thing.

US English                    UK/Aus/NZ English
Pepper (vegetable)         Capsicum
Shopping cart                 Trolley
Fanny pack                     Bum bag
Sweatshirt                       Jumper
Sneakers                         Trainers
Underwear                      Pants
Eraser                             Rubber
College                           University or Uni

Use your imagination and you can see how some of these terms would make conversations very confusing, and even uncomfortable at times. This would be even more difficult if English was not your first language. If there are confusions associated with these words in English, words that are commonly used every day, then what about other words in English that only certain groups use? Phrases, acronyms, rituals? After 8 years of high school and college, after being involved in many different organizations, I've come to realize that each group is a completely different world. They're all valuable to me and they're all connected to my school experience, but they're so different that I speak different languages within each of them.

Living with Internationals

Thinking back on my summers spent at camp has brought up many similarities and differences between that world and the world in which I live while I'm at school. At camp, we really did live in our own world. We ran every day on a schedule unique to summer camp, we spent all of our time working with young adults from all over the world, and we spoke in terms that might not make sense or even exist outside of camp (i.e. Clinic corral, pop stop). On top of that, about 1/3 of our staff every summer were internationals, so they had to become comfortable with American English and "Camp Language" all at once. You can see how talking about fanny packs and sneakers and pop stop in the same conversation might cause some difficulties. And some laughs.

For my semester abroad in Australia last spring, our little world was noticeably different from a semester at USC. My 3 American roommates and I actually had to remind each other constantly that this wasn't a dream. We took buses and ferries to "uni" for class, we had the option of visiting a new beach, mountain or waterfall on any given weekend, and we lived with 18 international roommates. Walking into our house on a week day, you might hear, "How was uni today?" "It was ok, I need to revise." (translation: how was school today? It was ok, I need to study more." On a Friday night you might hear "Where's the goon?" or "Skull it!" (Translation: where's the boxed wine? or Chug it!). This new language was strange sometimes, but it was exciting to learn and use in conversation because it meant I was making a home for myself in Brisbane. I was living in "Westella" with a new family, and I was becoming more connected to a group of people, even though we all knew we only had one semester together.

New Languages at USC

In Greek life, there are also terms that most people outside of the organizations don't know about and probably don't care to know. (i.e. chapter, standards hearing, big/little, PNM). Sometimes, you could get lost in a conversation if you didn't know the meanings behind these words. Something I've heard multiple times a semester for the past 4 years can sound like a foreign language to my parents or to anybody else on campus who has no ties to Greek life. "When I was a PNM, my Pi Chi's were so helpful. Then these 2 girls preffed me. I ran to my Crescent and all my pledge class sisters on the Horseshoe, and later that semester I found my Big." That sentence sounded like nonsense to my parents when I would call them during my first semester of college. It even sounded weird coming out of my own mouth. But now it means something. And it means something powerful to me that no other group of women has given me.

When I'm involved in an organization, I tend to get so invested that I forget other people may have no knowledge of the group, let alone the "language" and traditions of it. Dance Marathon, a perfect example, is composed of a few groups of participants with names that most people outside of that "world" would, again, need to ask for clarification. photo credits Zach Bland at USCDM2017

Heroes, Morale and Staff. Morale lead Color Teams of Heroes. Morale and Staff make up OTOD. Staff is led by BoD. We had many MOTM's to get to a 7. We're all Miracle Makers, and we're all FTK.

Another example in my daily life is working with Outdoor Recreation at our university's fitness center. ORec definitely has its own lingo, to the point where if somebody who has never been near a climbing wall (or not often) could walk up to us & hardly understand the conversation. "Use the natural, then grab that jug right there." 'Can you take?' 'Can I get a catch?' (translation: "Put your foot on the rock, then grab that rock that's really easy to hold." "Can you pull some slack on the rope?" "Will you belay me?") I love being part of one of the hidden gems of USC that opens students up to many adventures & chances to hang out [literally] with lots of genuinely nice people.

I love being part of these worlds. I love the feeling of "speaking the same language" as the other members and knowing we're all on the same page, even if we have different goals and intentions within the organization. However, I do need to remind myself that not everybody I talk to will always understand, and that's okay. Rather than focusing on the words and what's "right," it's more important to explain the WHY of how much I love these things and WHAT I learned from these people and experiences.



"It's like you're in a cult."

Sororities are not cults. Neither is Dance Marathon. Neither is summer camp. Well, maybe it seems like it. But in a good way. While I spend a lot of time with people in these organizations, all of what we do is for a purpose and is meant to be shared with others so we can grow stronger. There are some hidden traditions within each group that bond the members and give us more investment and insight into the organizations. There are some terms used by each group that may seem foreign to outsiders, but they are easy to learn, and they'll make a world of difference in understanding not only the organization but also becoming more connected to the people within it.

Even at USC, in a much larger community, we have our words and phrases that connect each of us. No matter your level of connection to and pride for our campus, you can't ignore this language. Even our large portion of international students can get excited about USC and buy in to the things we say to show our uniqueness from other universities and our solidarity as a student body. The Horsehoe. T Coop. dt. The fountain. Go Cocks. Spurs Up. Forever To Thee. We know what these words mean, and they'll always tie us to our second home at USC- we as individuals get to decide how strong we want that tie to be.

 photo credit @UofSC twitter

I love having these terms that make my time in each group stand out from the next and that have the power to keep other members engaged. When you have a specific language or terminology within a group, it can sometimes sound exclusive, and that always need to be monitored. Like I mentioned before, the terminology can keep current members engaged and can bolster their pride of and connection with the group. Some of the words that denote these traditions are only explained when you are a full member, and that's important for the closeness of the group (i.e. ritual, campfire, circle of Hope). However, the words that can be shared and explained must be shared with the rest of the community to show them the passion and love that comes out of each group of people. To use words and phrases that not everybody knows is a way to get outsiders interested in what's going on in that group of people, but then to explain the meaning behind it is to make people who want to stay involved feel special and more connected.

Languages of Love

To me, the languages of love aren't Spanish, Italian and French. Although I'd love to be able to speak all of those, communicating love and compassion and true care about something happens not always by the words you say but by the way you say them.

Even though I sometimes talk a mile a minute and I tend to craft my stories more clearly through words than in-person conversations, I hope you can understand my passion and love through my words and the way I say them.

We have so many words in our beautiful yet ridiculously confusing English language. Don't be afraid to use them, but always keep in mind how you want to make others feel.

xoxo
Jo Jo
Be Excellent to each other...
and party on dudes. 9 days til graduation weekend!