Jessica Rett, a linguistics professor at UCLA, discusses how young generations innovate language, such as the term 'oomf.' This term helps younger people differentiate themselves while offering a playful communication method. Oomf carries an uncertain meaning, which adds a layer of intrigue. Its phonetics are enjoyable—'oo' is a long vowel that feels good to say, while 'mf' adds an emphatic sound. Overall, embracing innovative language can enhance communication and connection across generations, even as terms eventually fall out of favor.
Rett explained that "one of my friends" is also a pseudo-partitive in English that eliminates "the possible presupposition that there's only one friend that you've got."
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