We are not shaped by the facts of history, Brian Friel wrote in Translations, but by images of the past that are embodied in our language.

If so, future Irish generations will be shaped by a vocabulary of learnings and shooters, reaching out and leaning in, semesters, vacation, elevators, shop the collection, woke, super, awesome, upticks, 24/7, FYI, TMI, Maga, mega, sat down with (interviewed) and walked it back (retracted).

The present generations have amassed a suite of lexical luggage that conjures up legions of shoulder-padded Uncle and Auntie Sams whizzing up and down skyscrapers while pushing shopping carts (trolleys) loaded with acronyms. Not quite Spancilhill on a fair day. Friel’s language so vividly captured his fictional Ballybeg that tourists have been known to go missing in Donegal’s vastness while searching for the Mundy sisters’ home place.

For a picture postcard of our age, here are some of the sounds and idiosyncrasies that may shape future Irish generations.

Clang: The mournful bells of the Angelus on the radio at midday in multicultural, post-Catholic Ireland.

“Yeah, no”: A native talent for being in two minds.

Honking horns: Aimed at XL-size cars that are too big to fit on their side of the white line.

The Rose of Tralee: A song and a festival for grown-ups who still haven’t learned how to unbuckle their shoes.

“Let us know how you got on”: Texts and emails from companies presuming we’ll do their market research free gratis for them.

[ If we’re going to start........

© The Irish Times