I am for the language to develop. That there are new words that describe the existing word's meaning better. The language of young people, foreign influences, slang and that the words simply follow society's development forward. For the same reasons, I also encourage that we reject words. Because some are simply no longer needed, become out of date, or that with newly acquired knowledge and opportunities for better dissemination, we actually now know that previously used words were used incorrectly. Many of us probably said them against our better judgment, rather than out of malice. 

I think about how the thoughts I read in the letters from my grandfather to his mother from the middle of the 20th century, when he traveled around the world as a young man. How he observed the outside world based on the fact that he had never seen anything other than his hometown before. That his world view, understanding and vocabulary came to be completely changed with time and the life he lived since then. I think of how Astrid Lindgren, with her very good heart, chose to call Pippi Longstocking's father "Negro King"How my classmates and I could shout ”CP” at school, even though most of us didn't understand what the word meant or why we were saying it. None of us above simply knew better. All examples of how man and language are moving forward, luckily! 

Slowly but surely we develop together with our language. If we only give it enough time. At the same time, there is nothing that prevents us from pushing from time to time. Paying attention to ourselves on how we use the language, when many of us no longer hear, when it is probably mostly said based on old ingrained patterns.

What I'm thinking about right now, and why I'm writing... It's something that's close to my heart and that always cuts, or at least rubs me (depending on how it's said), is the use of the sentence; I kill myself. It is often said to be so light-hearted, fleeting and simple. As a reaction to a delayed bus or the disappointment of rainy weather. 

Of course, not everything that is said needs to be politically correct, but sometimes we can remind ourselves to be a little more, up to date. We know today that suicide is the ultimate consequence of mental illness. A tragedy for the victim, relatives and society. Maybe that we can skip at least some of the occasions when sentences about suicide just slip out of my mind. Because in all honesty, it probably happens mostly out of old habit, because no one can say that it describes what you want to convey particularly perfectly, right?

Thanks for the word.

Helena