We are starting to look at different attitudes to language change. Some people are happy for language to change and take an interest in the variety within the English language without passing judgement. This is a descriptivist attitude. Others think language rules should be followed to the letter in a fully standardised form and pass judgement on those who do not follow those rules. This is a prescriptivist attitude.
- The following three articles are all about the relationship between language and texting. Read each of them and make notes on the viewpoints of the writers. Do the writers display a descriptivist or prescriptivist attitude?
- Either post a summary of the articles on your Blog or create a word document that you can save.
- What is your opinion on text speak? Has it had a negative effect on language? How do you text?
John Humphries
John Sutherland on Texting
David Crystal on Texting
- This article is about how technology has influenced new ways of using language. Can you think of any other new words that have come from use of the internet?
Technology Influences
Below is a really useful link to a fantastic resource from the British Library with lots of texts from Old English to Twentieth Century texts. There are lots of exercises to get you thinking about language change and will certainly help you to put texts in social and political context.
British Library Link
Nina
