Round Table China Do we need to stop speaking in memes?
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Nov 14, 2025 The discussion explores how memes and internet slang are altering our communication. Educators voice concerns about students' shrinking vocabularies, while linguists warn of diminishing nuances in language. The generational divide in slang usage raises questions about its role as social currency. Memes are critiqued for lacking the emotional depth found in poetry, and there's debate about the impact of slang on young learners' language development. The hosts highlight the challenges for parents and educators in navigating this evolving linguistic landscape.
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Memes Shrink Emotional Language
- Viral memes and catchphrases have moved from screens into everyday conversation, compressing complex emotions into shortcuts.
- Niu Honglin warns this contraction risks eroding nuance and the expressive power of language.
Kids Using Slang Instead Of Idioms
- Yu Shun describes primary school students using the slang 包的 as a shortcut for certainty without deeper understanding.
- A teacher recommended traditional idioms like 十拿九稳 to restore richer expression.
Single Labels Hide Complex Feelings
- Niu Honglin illustrates how a gaming term 破防 compresses varied emotional causes into one vague label.
- She argues that such compression hides important context and flattens self-understanding.
