Igiugig, Alaska (Pronounced Ig-ee–og’–ik) It’s a smattering of buildings and an airstrip, where the Kvichak River (Quee’jack River) comes out of Lake Illiamna. It can be reached by plane, boat, snow machine, or dog sled, depending on the time of year.

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My husband was born in a small village in Alaska–population 38.

Annette Wilson Caruso, my gorgeous niece, and Stephanita Apokedak, my somewhat intimidating mother-in-law.

No lie: his mother squatted at the side of her bed and pushed out six of her nine children. The last three were born in Naknek after they got a hospital. Here she is—four-foot-ten and with the strength of an Amazon—with one of her many beautiful granddaughters.

When my husband was 12, his family moved to a bigger village so the kids could go to school. The new village had a population of 98.

The people who lived in these small villages were used to seeing the same people every day. Hearing the same stories. Playing the same games. They had a shared history.

And my husband—who was a big reader, a smart guy, and was able to communicate with anyone—was most comfortable with people from his village. They understood each other in the way that sisters and brothers understand each other. It was that shared history.

My husband and I learned to understand each other–we spent time together and pretty soon we had a shared history. But I struggled some when communicating with his parents.

The village life fascinated me as did the way their language grew. There were so many things they didn’t have Yup’ik words for because they hadn’t needed words for those things. There is no need of a word for carpool or hotel or telephone when you’re in a small village. They suddenly needed new words, as outsiders came in, bringing TVs and boats with motors, and setting up hospitals and schools and court systems. But instead of making up new words, they just used the words they had to describe new things.

So, here’s a for instance: The word “incompetent” in Yup’ik is “elluarrluten taringeluaqerciigalavet,” which is literally translated, “because you are unable to really understand.”

You see? “Hospital” is also a massive word and when I asked my husband why it was so big, he told me they were saying “the big building where you go when you’re sick and you need to see a doctor.”

It’s not a perfect way to do things. With all those really long words, communication can become a bit burdensome.

But I wonder if we might be wise to think about this as we write. Our language is changing, in part because our world is changing so fast. Much like it changed fast for the Alaskan Natives when the US bought Alaska from Russia.

So I’m kind of like those old Natives, asking my children to interpret for me when I run into new words. And at the same time, I struggle with trying to communicate what I know to them. So many children today don’t know words and phrases that have meaning to me.

And even more concerning to me is this: my world view of completely foreign to them. We live in the same country and yet we don’t have a shared history. Our country used to be a melting pot of people who all wanted freedom. That was one thing we had in common. Now it’s a melting pot of people who all seem to have different agendas and common ground is getting harder and harder to find.

So what about when you write? Are you speaking to people with whom you share a history? People who grew up in your place and in your time? Are your readers understanding your words the way you’re meaning them?

Steve Laube had a great post recently that highlighted some of the changes to our world. Reaching a New Generation of Readers is a great read. Well worth your time.

And this is especially important for children’s writers. Children that were born in 2005 have a far different way of viewing the world than those of us who were born in the 50s and 60, or even the 70s and 80s. And if you are writing middle-grade books, you are writing for kids who were born somewhere around 2005. Barak Obama has been president for as long as they can remember. Think about how many things have changed since he took office. Now think about how many things have changed since you were 10 years old.

When we don’t have a shared history with our readers, we have to work much harder at communication. We can’t use shortcuts. We have to take time to explain things.

How do you stay connected to your readers? How do you educate yourself so you understand what they know and what kind of world view they have?