Does language change democratically?
First -- let's agree that there is a "language of power" that people who must learn if they want to succeed in the professional world (i.e have a job).
Secondly -- Nobody talks like this 100% of the time. We've all read about different "Englishes," and we all use them.
Yes, the diction of the online world is nothing more than one of dozens of Englishes which exist today, but it arguably has the most influence on what is commonly spoken. Is that a good thing? Maybe, the language of the internet has certainty evolved to allow information to be expressed quickly, but it inherently lacks the depth that other English dialects can convey.
Our language has only changed because a large percent of the population has decided to speak in a different manner. This is the way English has always evolved -- seeing as we have no established body which regulates our language (like the French).
Remember, there was a time when Chaucer's English was the common tongue...
posted by Patrick @ 8:27 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Agreed. English is a constantly changing language with its roots coming from something most Americans can barely read, let alone speak. People who believe that English is being corrupted by our technologically changing society need to take a step back and look at the English language and its past, present, and future evolution. Perhaps one day we'll all be speaking in abbreviations! The military sure prefers using them ;-)
I agree that different dialects are an important part of preserving the diversity of our culture.
But at a certain point, even with in certain dialects, there are levels of sophistication, and different "Englishes" do not necessarily negate those levels. I think that the video is really commenting on the declining complexity of language.
I'm all for simplicity, but not everything can be described or explained in acronyms.
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