Friday, 28 September 2012

The 'Britishisation' of American language? Jolly Good wot!

Firstly, let me link the story for your persual forthwith;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686

It would appear from studying the details of the story (above linked) that there are a select few American academics despairing at the 'Britishisation' of their proud linguistic history. Quite aside from the obvious irony of complaining about a British infulence on the English language this amuses and irritates me in eqaul measure when one thinks of the 'Americanisation' of the British language that has been ongoing for years.

That aside we are living in a metaphorically shrinking world bridged as it is by the wonders of technology and the interactivity of social media. Thus we can only expect greater cultural homogenisation.

Finally of course, we must always remember that language is interactive. The currency of popular linguistics will cut both transatlantic directions & beyond. Language is an ever changing, ever evolving thing and as such we should embrace and celebrate those changes wherever we can.

So to any 'Britishised' words that have slipped into the American consciousness I can say this - 'jolly good that man, now keep a stiff uppper lip in your lingustic sevice. Time to celebrate with a  cup of tea anyone?'

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