http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20332763
Language is, was and always will be a tool of communication. There are those who want to cherish and protect it, keeping it safe from all 'harmful' transformation. I am one of the first to shudder when the English language is mangled and processed and re-designed in the mouths of some, the linguistic barbs of teens for instance are incomprehensible at times. Some text language seemed like it would need a Rosetta stone to decipher initially. Yet we are and have adapted to things and will continue to do so. Simply because language is just that; a tool to be used and adapted.
No engineer would still want to use hand driven equipment if they could replace it wit water driven, steam, electric, solar whatever that was more productive and efficient. They understand the importance of adapting tools for their benefit. Hence so should we who sometimes seek to protect our languages. We need to be less precious about it. the Internet has opened up global communication in an unprecedented manner, and if that means the adaptation of language in multiple directions leading to greater ease of communication then that can only be a good thing.
The mistaken belief that language is sacrosanct may be an egregious conclusion.
No comments:
Post a Comment