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Old 2012-09-28, 20:34   Link #31
DonQuigleone
Knight Errant
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
Slang does, though not as senseless as the ridiculous amount of acronyms and shortforms we have nowadays. It really gets overwhelming that it becomes silly.

Either that or I am not reading enough modern literature. Most of the fiction stuff I read are still along the lines of Daniel Defoe, Robert Louis Stevenson, H.G Wells, etc. The writers of the 1800s and early 1900s - didn't quite like "modern literature" other than Tom Clancy, but even his works are getting quite dry.
Our writing has not regressed. Language does not tend to improve or deteriorate, it simply changes.

There are many great writers out there, if you just spend some time looking. With contemporary literature it's always harder because you don't have history to filter things out for you. But if you want some more contemporary (and slang filled...) literature you could try the Catcher in the Rhye. A fine book, only improved for it's slang.

The only reasonably recent novel that I know of with decent chances for having staying power is maybe Ender's Game. I can't really put my finger on why it works so well, because a lot of the concept is a bit pulpy.

I'm not a big reader of contemporary fiction, so I can't really comment further. I will say that Haruki Murakami's books in translation are very good. I'd say he has a good chance of becoming a classic author in the Japanese language.


One area where I will agree that language has deteriorated is in professional communications. Too many businessmen and politicians are taking shelter in sophisticated sounding jargon and incomprehensible business speak. I swear, I'll strangle the next person who says "going forward" or "thinking outside the box". Of course, this is not something new. George Orwell wrote something very good about it.

However, I don't think this trend has really affected literature. With literature it's a numbers game. There might be 999 hacks with hackneyed prose and stale metaphors, and 1 good author. That 1 good author is enough.

Someone else said that you only get maybe 1 good author every decade. I think that's a bit low (I'd say it's probably 2 or 3), but you can't expect great literature to be everywhere.

We're also neglecting New Media here too. I think something like Planescape Torment has a decent chance of becoming a classic.
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