The classic 1951 science fiction film “The Day the Earth Stood Still” features an indestructible robot (Gort) whose threatening actions are tamed only when an earthling is told – by a sympathetic alien – to command it, “Klaatu barada nikto.” What does this mean? I don’t know. But when I overhear my students speaking to each other, I am often similarly stymied. 

I teach at a university. One of the “problems” this presents is that, as the years pass, I get older, but my students remain the same age – 18 to 22. Early on, when I was in my 20s and 30s, this wasn’t an issue, as we were close enough in age to speak the same language. But lately I have become acutely aware that a linguistic ship seems to have sailed, and I am not on board.

Let me illustrate: Recently, when I walked into my class, my students were chatting amiably with each other. One of their comments caught my ear: “Venmo it to me.” I had no idea what “Venmo” meant, so I asked. The good-natured students were happy to explain it to me, and in return I nodded with an expression of silly embarrassment, as if I should have known better.