American television shows like Friends and The Simpsons popularized catchphrases in the 1990s in Britain. Music from British bands like Oasis and the Spice Girls also influenced language with lyrics entering everyday speech. Meanwhile, feminism grew and taboo language became more accepted. Major political events included Margaret Thatcher resigning and Tony Blair becoming prime minister as Labour modernized. The development of the internet and web browsers led to new computer-related words and concerns over the Millennium Bug.

1. By Jade Hall
THE 1990S

2. WHY LANGUAGE CHANGE WAS
OCCURRED IN THE 1990S?
• The 1990s brought a change to our
fashion and attitudes. As people we
were developing with new technologies
and issues, which are some what
similar that we have today.

3. SOCIAL FACTORS
• TELEVISION – American television began to take over our screens, with
the highly successful show FRIENDS, which brought catch phrases such
as “how you doing?” and “bamboozled”. THE SIMPSONS was also a
highly popular show with sayings such as “eat my shorts” and “d’oh”
effecting our every day language. However, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL
AIR introduced the British public to African-American people – the song is
one of the most recognized TV theme tunes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCqRmx3Dnw
• POP MUSIC – Britain began to get a name for itself for British pop
(BRITPOP) , with global super stars such as THE SPICE GIRLS, OASIS
and BLUR. All of their music and quotes began to enter our everyday
language such as “you’re my wonder wall” and “if you want to be my lover
you’re got to get with my friends”.

4. SOCIAL FACTORS
• FEMINISM MOVEMENT – Girls were wanting to be more independent,
and move away from their stereotype of relying on a man. Feminism
began to grow rapidly and it was used in the film THELMA AND LOUISE
to depict the zeitgeist of social changes.
• TABOO LANGUAGE – Started to occur more often because of because
well-known people were using it, and popular bands began to put it into
their music.
• FREEDOM – Nelson Mandela was freed in 1990, and live reports
interrupted our normal shows. This shows a social change between black
and white Africans in south Africa.

5. ECONOMIC FACTORS
• In 1992 Britain withdrew from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism,
because Britain was forced ignominiously – this was called or known as
Black Wednesday.
• In 1999 – Britain to decides not to join the European single currency.
• On July 1st 1997, Britain hands Hong Kong back to China.
• September 1997 – Scotland and Wales vote in favor of devolution.

6. POLITICAL FACTORS
• In November 1990, Margret Thatcher resigns as Prime Minister and John
Major becomes Prime Minister.
• In 1992 the conservatives win the general election, returning John Major
as Prime Minister.
• In May 1997, the Labour party wins the general election, putting Tony
Blair as Prime Minister. New words such as NEW LABOUR, and
BLAIRISM – welfare to work, and tough love were the norm. Labour learnt
from the Clintonites in the US how to gain and hold power.
• In April 1998 – the Good Friday Agreement establishes a developed
Northern Irish assembly.

7. WAR
• Civil war broke out in 1991 with the session of Croatia and Slovenia, the
war carried on towards the end of the decade and introduced the term,
ETHNIC CLEANSING into the English language.
• Another war the Gulf War 1991, where Americans wanted rid of the Iraqi
invaders from Kuwait. Several US military euphemisms were brought to
wider public knowledge such as – COLLATERAL DAMAGE (1975)
FRIENDLY FIRE (1925) AND DULY RIDICULED.

8. CIVIL LIBERTIES
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s8xkjG8bx4

9. CHANGING ATTITUDES
• In 1994 an act was passed to stop children’s access to sex and violence.
There was also the V-chip which promised to control children’s access to
sex and violence on television.
• For children in the 1990s there were television shows such as, THE
RUGRATS, ARTHUR, THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS, and plenty more
shows which were violence free.
• However, for adults sexual behavior was becoming to be more
acceptable, especially within the film industry with films such as
AMERICAN PIE showing the comic side to sex, but also THELMA AND
LOUISE showing the harshness of rape.

10. NEW INVENTONS
• The main invention in the 1990s was the development of the computer
and the world wide web. In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide
web, and during the 1990s computer language was growing.
CYBERNAUTS, and NETTIES surfed the web. You had to have your own
WEB PAGE or HOME PAGE. You tried to avoid SPAM and MAIL BOMBS.
The main fear in the CYBERCAFE was the MILLENNIUM BUG which
threatened to make the world’s computer system crash when the clocks
chimed midnight on 31st December 1999.
• Tamagotchis (cyber pets) would only die if not cared for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YueDmq-w9X8
• The Euro Tunnel opened in 1992, creating a fast link between Paris and
London.

11. POPULAR TV SHOWS