A New Language Is Discovered

The Latest Word from John Ed Mathison

It was announced this month that we have found a new language. It was discovered in India. It has only 800 to 1,200 speakers and is unwritten. This language is known as Koro, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.

A group of linguists working with National Geographic Society’s Enduring Voices project discovered this language. Koro is very distinct from other languages spoken nearby. The researchers have not been able to identify any of the language family that is closely related to it.

Some people raise the question as to why this is important. Researchers tell us that understanding a language is extremely important. A language contains the essence of a culture. A language helps us understand how the human mind in that culture works. It is very important.

I want to see us find a new language in our world – a profanity free language.

I am appalled at how many people are making it socially acceptable to use profanity. The use of four-letter (or however many letters it takes to spell them) words is a growing menace in our society.

At one time bad language was associated with the lower classes – that is why it was called “vulgarity.” But now people in all stages of life can’t seem to speak without using bad language. Even women are swearing the same blue streak as men. Young children today don’t seem to be concerned about having their mouths washed out with soap.

I remember a time in my life when it was unacceptable to use profanity around a woman. It wasn’t just the sailors who watched their language around ladies. One study recently indicated that women are as prone to use profanity as men! Now if you take your family to the ball park, you have to endure obscenities from people sitting around you.

At one time in life, people would not use profanity if a preacher was present. I know that a preacher is no different from anyone else, but that seemed to be a social taboo. That is not true anymore.

There is an old story about a man who was driving his mules to market. The local preacher needed a ride to one of his parishioner’s farms so the farmer picked him up. When the farmer arrived at market two hours late he was chided. The man quickly responded “after I picked up the pastor those mules never understood a single thing I said.”

I was speaking at the FCA Coaches’ Conference. The use of profanity is a big issue with Christian coaches. I am happy to say that a lot of coaches are pushing for a zero tolerance of profanity on the football field either by players or coaches.

Don’t spend any time trying to learn the new Koro language. It would be profitable for all of us to spend time trying to create a new universal language that carries a zero tolerance for profanity.

We have been able to reach a point in our culture where we can be bold enough to say “thank you for not smoking in my presence.” Let’s start a movement to be bold enough to say “please don’t use profanity in my presence.”

Let’s affirm, promote and speak a new language that is profanity free!

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