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View Full Version : David Crystal - Is control of English shifting away from British and American native speakers?


Treffie
10-12-2010, 05:26 PM
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Eldritch
10-12-2010, 05:36 PM
I wasn't aware that the English language is under someone's control.
Aemma
10-12-2010, 05:39 PM
I wasn't aware that the English language is under someone's control.

I think more accurately that would be "under someoneses or sometwoses or somethreeses" control? ;) :D

All these sources of informationS! :D
Wyn
10-12-2010, 06:01 PM
Bloody foreigners and their Englishes.
Cato
10-12-2010, 07:04 PM
http://www.digischool.nl/kleioscoop/john%20bull.jpg

I do say!

http://gunnerstoday.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/uncle-sam.jpg

We must FREE the English language! God bless America!
Korbis
10-12-2010, 08:00 PM
English is already a bastardized language to begin with.

We should clean up the vocabulary of all the french or spanish words currently in use, and create an alternative for all of them before claim "purity" of language.
007
10-12-2010, 08:03 PM
OK, you can start, amigo
anonymaus
10-12-2010, 08:03 PM
"Weight of usage" is the key phrase here. He's spot on.
Cato
10-12-2010, 08:06 PM
It doesn't make any difference to me if the use of English shifts or changes; some Chinese or Indian who speaks perfect English is just an English-speaking Chinese or Indian.

I don't speak the same kind of English as that of, say, 18th century North America or 16th century England.
Comte Arnau
10-12-2010, 08:16 PM
If English is to fully become the first really global language, that is, the Earth language, the price it'll have to pay is a complete bastardization. Eventually it will simplify and dialectalize even more.
anonymaus
10-13-2010, 12:00 AM
If English is to fully become the first really global language, that is, the Earth language, the price it'll have to pay is a complete bastardization. Eventually it will simplify and dialectalize even more.

As far as I'm concerned, one of the key components of the beauty of the English language is precisely its multifariousness; the extensibility and adaptability of English, as well as its total lack of central control, are all key to making it the great language it is.
Debaser11
10-13-2010, 12:02 AM
Our vocabulary will shrink (in a meaningful sense) and expression will be more limited. That's my guess.
Korbis
10-13-2010, 01:25 AM
As far as I'm concerned, one of the key components of the beauty of the English language is precisely its multifariousness; the extensibility and adaptability of English, as well as its total lack of central control, are all key to making it the great language it is.


As well as the simplicity of its grammar and lack of genre in the nouns.

I canīt imagine what kind of world would be if german were the current language of the US (which almost happened) and we all had to learn it.
Wyn
10-13-2010, 02:26 AM
if german were the current language of the US (which almost happened)

It did?
The Ripper
10-13-2010, 10:01 AM
If English is to fully become the first really global language, that is, the Earth language, the price it'll have to pay is a complete bastardization. Eventually it will simplify and dialectalize even more.

Hail vulgar English!