{"id":124,"date":"2015-07-29T15:12:48","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T14:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-232648-741634.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=124"},"modified":"2015-07-29T15:12:48","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T14:12:48","slug":"from-verbing-to-planking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/from-verbing-to-planking\/","title":{"rendered":"From Verbing To Planking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\nJust when we thought that no more new words could enter the English language, the phenomenon of \u2018verbing\u2019 came along. I will not go into detail about what \u2018verbing\u2019 actually is, since I\u2019ve already written an article about this topic (Verbing<\/a>), however, all I\u2019m going to say is that this trend was yet another proof that English is in a constant state of flux. \u2018Planking\u2019 is yet another reminder of this!<\/p>\n\n\n

So what IS \u2018planking\u2019?<\/strong>
Up to a few days ago (actually if I have to be completely honest I have to say \u201cup until yesterday\u201d) this continuous verb meant absolutely nothing to me. I was only aware of \u2018a plank of wood\u2019 <\/em>(meaning \u201ca long, thin, flat piece of timber, used especially in building and flooring\u201d); the verb \u2018to plank<\/em>\u2019 (meaning \u201cto cover with planks\u201d); and obviously, since I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Pan<\/em> I was luckily also aware of the phrase that is synonymous with this cartoon, namely, \u2018walk the plank\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

So while I was lying on the beach enjoying the scorching Mediterranean sun and a good friend of mine started talking about \u2018planking\u2019, I thought that either one of us (I felt more comfortable thinking that it wasn\u2019t me) had been in the sun for way too long!! Then, however, my other friend joined in the conversation, and she too sounded as if she knew perfectly well what she was talking about\u2026so clearly, I was the one in the dark. <\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cAsk and you shall receive\u201d<\/strong>
This is exactly what I did, but in my case I got even more confused than I originally was. I just couldn\u2019t understand the concept of people lying flat on the ground in all sorts of weird (and dangerous) places and taking pictures. I just couldn\u2019t see the fun in it. So I went home and looked this phenomenon up on the oh-so-mighty internet\u2026and that is when I got all the answers I needed\u2026with lots and lots of pictures to prove that both my friends were 100% correct earlier on when we were on the beach.
For those of you who are still trying to catch up with the evolution of language (and if you ask me, the devolution of man), \u201cthe rules of \u2018planking\u2019 are simple: Lie face down with an expressionless face in a funny or daring location. Keep your legs straight, toes pointed and arms by your side. Take a photo and post it on Facebook\u201d <\/em>(Taken from an article on The Times of Malta<\/em> of the 23rd<\/sup>, June 2011). So now you\u2019re up to date!<\/p>\n\n\n

Conclusions<\/strong>
One might ask, \u201cBut do people really do this kind of stuff?!\u201d. The answer is \u201cyes they do\u201d. What I find really interesting from a linguistic point of view is that in informal British English the noun \u201cplank<\/em>\u201d is sometimes used to refer to \u201ca dim-witted (or just plain stupid) person\u201d. And here\u2019s the correlation\u2026when somebody risks his life (there was one case in Australia of a man who decided to plank on a really high balcony, fell down and died!!!) all for the sake of \u2018planking\u2019, I wouldn\u2019t know how else to refer to that person!<\/p>\n\n\n

However, if you really want to have a laugh, you too can go on Facebook and look for these pictures of all the \u2018plankers\u2019 from all over the world\u2026unless you\u2019ve already uploaded some yourselves!!! <\/p>\n\n\n

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