Are we driving English to extinction? 22 June 2010
The new guardians of the English language
You may have guessed by now that I believe in the value of putting apostrophes in the right place. You’ll probably also be aware that I’m a big fan of clear, jargon-free copy. But I’m not sure about the new English Academy. Created by the Queen’s English Society this organisation is aimed at protecting and preserving the English language (as if it’s an endangered species). Its aim is to set ‘an acceptable standard’ of English. But what are its criteria and how will it put its standards into action?
Will they be watching what you say?
The debate has gone on in an understated, but enthusiastic fashion since the recent launch of the Academy. Will these new guardians of English opt for book-perfect grammar over clarity? What date does ‘acceptable’ language stop and ‘bad’ language start? As one journalist points out, change is what creates language. I admit I don’t find all the changes pleasant, but aren’t they what make our language interesting and distinctive?
The English language – endangered species or ever-evolving animal. What do you think?
Written by Camilla Zajac
Camilla Zajac is an award-winning copywriter dedicated to uncovering what’s exciting and unique about organisations and empowering them to communicate that with impact. Learn more about copywriting services from Green Light Copywriting.
