Delving into the World of AI Affects on Language

 Episode 107 of I Hate Talking digs into the word “delve” and how it has become increasingly common in AI-generated writing and online speech. The hosts explore its meaning, compare it with “dive in” and “dig in,” and trace its true roots to Old English rather than Greek or Latin.

The conversation then broadens into a thoughtful discussion about language, AI influence, and how word choice can shift with culture, class, and region. Along the way, they reflect on how people unconsciously mirror the speech around them, and how modern language habits may be changing faster than we realize.

Keywords: delve, dive in, dig in, AI-generated writing, generative AI, language change, word choice, Old English, etymology, Latin roots, cultural speech patterns, regional dialects, mimicry, podcast language trends, I Hate Talking podcast, episode 107.

Transcript

I Hate Talking: 0:29

Welcome to episode 107 of I Hate Talking. Hi everyone. So our word or phrase of this episode will be a word, and it is the word delve, delve, like, let's delve into this. That's exactly right, yeah, OK, which I thought you were gonna say now. Well, I don't know, we'll have to check the exact definition, but it seems that this word delve has replaced the phrase dive in. OK, yeah, I believe it, cause even when I said that, the second I saw your face, I was like, oh no, it's dive, dive in, you're gonna correct me. But I was correct, and for some reason, that was my first instinct was delve in. Yes delve into it. Yes, dive in, maybe correct for now, but it seems that delve is overtaking. Dive in. OK, well, tell me about it because I know delve, and that's the phrase I would use. Is it like a cultural or a linguistic like area? No, it's actually AI. So it seems like this podcast we talk about AI quite frequently, but lately, yeah. Nonetheless that we know of. I guess it depends if you subscribe to the simulation theory or not. I severed. Oh, that's such a good show like wait for it to come back. Yeah, more like the Matrix probably would be a better. Movie, show description of. The theory of AI not AI delve and dive. No. Simulation theory. OK. Severed is borderline simulation theory, -- I -- suppose. It's good, but it's not simulated environment, right? You're still in your physical environment. You're just in a different mind, right, right. So anyway, the theory on Delve and how that has become more popular is from a short clip that I saw of a larger podcast, and I have not looked up that podcast, so perhaps we can find it afterwards to give appropriate credit and maybe even watch the entire. Episode rather than just a clip, but this particular guest on this podcast cites that AI, specifically generative chat, AI and large language models prefer. Words with Greek or Latin roots. And it will actually substitute more common language that comes from other etymologies like Germanic or French or some of the different mashups that we've discussed in previous episodes, and it will therefore replace those words or phrases with these less used. Greek and Latin words, delve being one of them. OK, so two things first. We kind of joked about being AI, but you definitely prefer freaking Latin. Right? I do. Maybe I will side with AI on this one, and once we look at the definition and etymology. I will perhaps be a proponent of using delve, but I think dive in is a more commonly used and probably better understood phrase. If you have a pool. No, like if we want to dive into this topic, yeah, cause you're like on the edge of the pool and you jump in, you dive into it. I guess maybe we'll do a 2 for 1 and we'll look at the etymology and definition of the phrase dive in as well. Overly dive into this topic. See, I have. Hesitancy about using it as like a pure verb. Let's delve in. Like I could see it more as a past participle or something like we are going to or we delved in, that's really delved into that topic. I'd use it. Yeah, I think that would be correct, but it still seems a little bit. Stutter step for me. Unfortunately, now I feel like I'm biased one way or another, but if, if I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible, I think if I'm using the phrase, I'd say, OK, everyone, let's dive in. Like, let's do it present tense right now, jump in. Or if I'm talking about to a friend like, hey, we posted this podcast, we really delved into that topic. Meaning like, so I think I use it past tense, delve in. I guess I would. Probably be more comfortable using it as a future, like we will delve into this topic. No, that doesn't sound right. We'll dive in. We'll dive in. We will dive into this topic. But we did really dived into that. That doesn't sound right. Well, it's because it's Dove. Really dove into that topic. That still doesn't sound right. I, I understand you, you're right. OK, it's not dived in, it's dove in. Both of those don't sound right. We delve into it. I suppose so. Well, let's see what our new favorite American Heritage Dictionary has to say about this. So they defined delve as a verb, and it actually has 4 different definitions. And one of those definitions actually has 3 subdefinitions, so quite a bit to delve into here. So number one, to search deeply or laboriously. As in, delve through the court records. OK. So that's something that's a little bit different because you're almost like going through a sorting. And that probably would not really fit with dive in. That's more like digging into, right? I think that's very adjacent. Like dive in, like let's jump in and do this. Where if you're like sorting through something, you're digging through something. There you go. Does that make sense? That does make sense. So maybe that's actually a pro for using dive or dig, OK. And then definition number 2 has 3 different subdefinitions. So 2A, to research or make inquiries into something. So scientists delving into gene regulation is the example. 2 B, to undertake an activity or occupation undeterred by difficulty or uncertainty. They delved into writing a blog. Hm, OK. To see, to discuss or explain something, especially in detail, the article delves into the problems facing the banking system. OK. 3 to enter or move into an area in which movement is difficult. Why is that 3? Isn't that 4? You just give us 4 -- Because I'm tracking in my head how many -- there's 12, A, -- 2 B -- 2 C, A, B, and C, OK. Oh, my numbers are messed up now. OK, so 3A is to enter or move into an area in which movement is difficult. The explorers delved into the forest. OK. And then 4 is to dig the ground as with a spade, which comes from an archaic use of the word to dig. So if I'm hearing those now, I might have messed these up because there's like A's and B's mixed in with 12, 3s, but 2B to me seemed like the proper, you could swap dive, like, jump in, there's a pool of water, jump in, full body, get covered with water. Every other 112, A, 3 and 4, to me I'll seem like Doug. It's more appropriate, like you were digging, like you're searching for something and you're like, hands only looking through a bunch of dirt to try to get to a topic. Does that sound right to you? Do you agree with that? That the 2B. No, 20 no, yeah, so research or make inquiries into something is which one. 2 2A. Yes, so 2B is like full body. I'm in it, because once you dive into a pool, you are literally over your head in water. You can't dive in. Unless it's really shallow and then you're really hurt, right? So diving in means you're fully in over your head. Entire bodies committed to this, but if you're digging. You can go as deep as you want and still not get fully into it. I suppose so. So I feel like out of those 5 you gave, 4 of them were more into digging as far as you want to go, where 1 was a full commitment. Yes, I suppose so. So I don't know where I'm going with that. I'm just saying those are different. They are different, but Delve could cover both of them. But for those, Delve seems more intense. 4 out of 5 times Delve. Was used more appropriately for. Dig, yes. Which makes sense because that is the origin of the word deth. So now I'm questioning these podcasters that had this clip because I did take it at face value. It made sense that like AI is going to prefer. Greek and Latin, and maybe I misunderstood, but I'm pretty sure I did not because their particular hypothesis is that AI prefers to sound smart and if you use words with Greek or Latin roots that those will typically be quote unquote smarter sounding words, but it seems that the word delve does not actually have any Greek or Latin roots. And that it came from. English, Old English, and then previously previously to that Old High German and Old Norse. Like Norwi, like Norway, Nordic, yes, Norse. OK, so. The word delve as we use it in the modern English comes from the Old English. Delphin, which means to dig. And that it is related to similar words in other Germanic languages. Where in German it is Telban and in Norse Delta. And then it typically referred to the physical act of digging in the 12th century. And then over time took on more metaphorical meanings representing thorough investigation or research. Mhm. So it is more about digging than diving. Yes. So, their comparison. was not even completely accurate because they were comparing dive in versus delve. And really, it would be more appropriate to compare, dig in and delve. I'll ask my AI right now. Um, live, which they think it is. Does it come from? Dig, or do they come from dive? Let's see what they say. OK. D E L V E. OK, this is what Gemini says. You ready? OK. My question prompt for Gemini was, does delve in come from dive in or dug in? And it says, the phrase delve in is most closely related to delve. Which comes from the Old English word del in, meaning to dig. Well, delve in, dive in, and dug in all share a sense of immersion and getting into something deep. They have distinct origins and nuance. One, delve. Is Old English to delve literally means to spade over the earth. There's a whole bunch of stuff I'm gonna skip down to dive in. Suggest a quick headfirst plunge, referring to a task with high energy or enthusiasm, like diving in a pool. Or 3 dug in. Which usually implies a state of being firmly established or resistance to change. Interesting. So it uses dig in as sort of taking a firm position on something. Mhm. Which you've heard, right? Like he really dug in his. Heels what is that? What do you say? You say something, right, like you really dug into that, meaning like they're not changing their minds. OK, yeah, so that is what Gemini, my Gemini says, which is very different than what The people you were saying. We're saying AI sets, Gemini is AI. But what is your duck? Ask duck, what is it called? Duck duck go duck duck. OK, by the way, when I've never heard of that in my life until a couple of podcasts ago when you mentioned it. Afterwards I asked the kiddos, like, do you know what Google search daddies is? And all of them said they use duck ducko. I didn't even have to tell them which one it was. I was like, What? I'm proud of them. So without a shadow of a doubt they instantly said -- duck duck -- go without even you prompting them. No, I just said, do you know which one Dad likes best? There you go. I didn't even know it existed. And the very following day, all 4 of them admitted that's the search engine they use. Well, there you go. At least I'm doing something right as a dad. It So, American Heritage Dictionary does not have an entry for the phrase dive in. It obviously has dive. So if we skip down to Cambridge Dictionary because we no longer have access to our old favorite English language dictionary. Cambridge Dictionary defines dive in as to start something suddenly and energetically. Often without stopping to think. Right, I guess which makes sense. My Gemini was saying like jumping in quickly with enthusiasm, which isn't how I would have described it. But Gemini is saying, yeah, like with enthusiasm quickly, right? You're doing this and yours is saying doing it without thinking. Yes, suddenly energetically why I can't even say that what -- energetically -- energetically. I think you said it fine. I don't think so, but it's a, it's probably just a personality trait. Anytime I've attempted to dive in. It's not ever in genetic. Oh no, now you're messing me up. Energetically or without thinking, I'm always on the end of the diving board, contemplating it for longer than socially appropriate. Yes, so, I think the podcast people in the clip were, are majorly wrong in this. So you're saying podcast can be wrong I think so, because they were saying that delve was from Greek and Latin. They were saying that delve is used in place of dive in, but as we've done during the course of this discussion, dive in is more with the approach of how you do something, not necessarily what you are doing. Now, I still think you can use the phrase dive in as like, you're gonna look deeply into something and do a lot of research, but that actually is not the correct definition, apparently. I mean, if we're using it as like enthusiastically, saying like, all right, next week we'll dive into this, like, we're excited, we're gonna do this, right? But in general, yes, I agree it's not. They were saying, but we're not gonna sit, we're not gonna call them out, are we? Because I don't wanna get rivals in the podcast world. I don't know. That's how people get famous in the podcast world, I guess. I know. I guess it's like that question, right? We, we will not get into it on here, but we've had a personal issue where we're like, how far do we get involved in this because it does not affect us. But also, we have an opinion. In our personal life. So it's like that. These podcasters, we can just live on with our lives, right? Like, are we obligated to warn people that they're wrong? Or just let them do their thing. I don't, I mean, this, uh, I'll have to go back and watch the clip, but like, they patently are incorrect. If they said that Delve is from Greek and Latin, it's like not true at all. Do they, have you ever listened to them before? No, it's just a clip. Oh, OK, because there's a pod, uh, YouTuber I've been super into lately. He is called Elephants in Room. And he goes into hot button topics. He always tries to be unbiased, but he also will say when a bias comes up, and he's every podcast or YouTube episode, he always says, hey, look, if I messed up or got the facts drawn, let me know, and if it's egregious, I will pin it here below. So at least that's good for him, right? Like he admits that he does have bias, he's trying not to, everyone has a bias, and he is trying not to be. But if he messed up or has a bias or whatnot, he will address it. Do they have a bias? Are they one of them that's willing to listen to correction or listen to an alternative viewpoint, or is it just pointless, and they're gonna spew whatever information they have and hopefully people don't listen. Or it aligns with their biases as it did with mine because I was already thinking that AI is changing language and the words that people use because of generative chat AI. So the particular podcasters that I was listening to in this clip aligned with my bias against AI because I was thinking that it is eroding the use of words and everything. So, AI knows you hate AI. And so they're giving you fake AI saying AI is wrong. And directing you to correct AI. There's a lot of AI in there. I, I don't know. But do you follow the track? So AI is following you and they say, oh, he doesn't trust us. Let's tell him these quote unquote people also don't trust AI. And then he's gonna find out the people are wrong and the AI is right all along, and then he's gonna love AI. Maybe so. So I've been looking for the podcast and the clip. I cannot find it immediately, but I did find an article on Medium from May of 2024 and Basically, this is an article about how a particular PhD. Found that the frequency of the word delve in PubMed articles since the end of 2022 has increased by approximately 400%, which coincides with the rise of chat GBT, end quote. So it has a bar graph on there and it shows that it was hardly used through. The 1900s saw a slight uptick in the early 2000s and then basically did skyrocket on around 2022, 2023, and 2024. That's when AI got popular, is that what they're saying? Yeah, that's when generative chatbots became a little bit better at actually generating responses. Is there any difference in linguistics with area because I know this doesn't sound nice, but it is true, y'all. Right, the fact that that was not planned, the fact that I said y'all, right? Like. Uh, where we live now, where we used to live, all y'all was a very big comment. And I say it here in our new place, and I'm called out on it. All y'all is not a common phrase here. Right, and I love the South, y'all, so I'm not trying to say anything, but people tend to think highly edu like, you're highly educated, if you speak like, And Englander, right? Or like the British. And so I feel like Delve would be much more British. And high education. Then saying Duggan, which it would seem to be more maybe Southern. I love the South. That's where we've lived for so long and I was heartbroken to move, right? So like, Does that make sense? Is it more of a. Cultural. Classes. Yeah, is it like a cultural class like delve. I delved into it. Sounds more elite, and I dived in. Right? Well, that was the that was the hypothesis of this particular clip that AI is going to prefer words that sound smarter, so delve falls within that category and then it therefore either is in more published material because people are leveraging AI to quote unquote write for them, or it could even change the linguistic behavior of the people reading and listening to that content that hear this word more frequently and then therefore they also use it more frequently. So that's the concern is that these particular words are not organically being used by people and that there may be other ones out there, like delve is, I guess, one of the ones that are cited as like a glaring example, but The theory is that AI is using these. Preferred words to sound smarter and therefore is changing the linguistic behavior of normal everyday human beings. So they're making up terms to sound smarter. And then we're mimicking it. We're not making up words, they're just using less common words. OK, but they're not making them up. OK, and some people are more susceptible. I know I am, that's, you know, we've lived. Pretty much at this point, all around the US. And in our 17 years of marriage or whatnot. And I am extremely susceptible to the language of those around me. So probably in a year or so, I'm not gonna say all y'all, cause that's not said here. And everywhere I go, when I return back to where I was, people comment on my accent and the way I speak is so different. And I'm, so I know that's a flaw in myself, but also. Just part of who I am, that I'm very susceptible. As I'm around people a lot, I start mimicking their speech. Unintentionally, and it's just what I do. I don't think you do that. But I definitely do unintentionally. So I think that I'm thinking about like AI and how they're smart enough to realize that people are gonna mimic unintentionally these phrases they use. Yeah, I think that I will adapt much more quickly to Local culture and their phraseology that they use, even individuals like I will. Use words that other people use to Communicate better or fit better in. Yes, do you think I do? No, you're terrible at that. I just said the exact opposite. Yeah, but you're, you retain what you have learned for a longer period of time until it changes. And so you notice it more. Is that the issue? Cause I feel like everywhere we go, you're like, why are you saying hot mess or why are you saying all these things? And then I'm like, I don't know, cause I'm a hot mess. And then I have to be like, oh, that's what so and so says in those phrases. I suppose so. So you think I just mix it all up, so then it's super confusing because I'm speaking like a New Englander and a Southerner and a Californian. And a Midwest and like all those. I think so, yeah, maybe I don't know. -- So -- that's you just think that you suddenly jump into whatever culture you are, that's what you speak, where I do a hodgepodge of everything. Yes, I've already tabled many Southern phrases that I would have used in the past. Really? Yeah, OK, but I can't, and I noticed when people look at me when I speak Southern, I'm like, oh. That's, yes. All y'all is so easy to say. Well, maybe we'll, maybe we'll do that as our word or phrase next time because all y'all are different than y'all. And I don't know when I started saying all y'all. But I know I say it all the time, so I could probably even look back at podcasts and maybe listen to how often I say it. Because it never dawned on me that I say it until moving here and people look at me and I go, oh yeah. Perhaps for our last thing, we'll just check Google Engram viewer because it's been a while since we've used that to compare, dive in, dug in, and delve. OK. Are you doing Delve or delve in? Just Delve. OK, because of my Geminis, I looked up delve in, -- and they said it comes from -- Delve. I did dive in, dug in, delve in. Delve in has very little usage, but if I take out the I in, then that is actually a greater usage. So all of them were relatively flat from 1800 to about 1950, there's some variability there, but not. As much as the huge increase in the 2000s. So if we zoom in just to 1950. To 2022, which this data goes to, why doesn't it go beyond 2022? Is Google? No, that's interesting. That's 4 years. That's a long time. It's a long time. Maybe that's a conspiracy. They don't want people to be able to see what words have been increased or decreased since the advent of generative chat. conspiracies. Interesting. So, dug in takes a little dip in 1950. Everything else is relatively flat. Del does Increase greatly from the year 2000 to 2022, and then I guess the big spike in 2023 and 2024 will not be in Google and Gram. But the interesting thing to note is that both dive-in and dug-in did increase in the early 2000s. Not as steeply as delve. -- What do people say before -- that? -- There must be another word -- that's -- look -- into it. Let's look into it. Let's, I don't know, that's great research it, examine it. Yes, it's probably any of those above. -- We probably -- fancier, -- probably -- can, yeah, I don't know. our coming of age was around that time. So this is the culture phrasing we would know. I, I don't know if I've ever really encountered the word delve until maybe The last few years. I really don't recall. Seeing that very frequently. Like I've heard it and knew the definition, I suppose, but. In terms of the way that it is used today in quite a lot of different contexts, not as much, right? It's interesting because I don't know if I've ever read it. Or experienced it. But when you said it tonight, I instantly knew what it was. So it's kind of one of those like I don't know the word. Oh yes, I do know what it means. Indeed, so Perhaps we will talk about y'all or all y'all next time. It's so weird. That's, I don't know if you ever said that though. Do you think you used to say all y'all? Because I sounded weird hearing you say it right now. Or just because you paused so far away from I had to actually think about it two years ago and hear how you spoke. -- Were you more Southern back then -- low dollar. Transcripts into AI. See if I ever said it. That's a lot of work. Well, it'll be less work than reading all of them one by one. So if you enjoyed. This delving in, if all y'all enjoyed this delving into the topic, you can always like share and subscribe and Maybe we'll dive in a different topic next time. Or we'll dig into a different subject in the future. Yeah, we'll dig in like I don't know what I don't know what we'd say now I'm so confused. I'm leaving this podcast more confused than when I started. Well, that might be for the best. We'll just avoid using any of those three phrases from now on. We'll research it and find a new word. So, from your friends at I Hate Talking, until next time, remember, it is only through talking that we begin the journey to understanding.