Present Day English: Events

Question 1

PDE - Events

Answer 1

Start of the electronic revolution (1971)
Jean Aitchison (1991)
James Milroy (1992)
David Crystal (2005)

Question 2

PDE - Events:
Start of the electronic revolution

Answer 2

1971
FIRST EMAIL EVER SENT!!

• Internet became a home tool
• Communication became convenient and quicker

⭐MOVED GLOBALISATION FOR ENGLISH⭐

Question 3

PDE - Events:
Jean Aitchison

Answer 3

1991
Neither Descriptivist nor Prescriptivist

1. Crumbling castle view: Language should be preserved but this has never been a pinnacle
2. Damp spoon syndrome: Language changes because people are lazy
3. Infectious disease assumption: Poor / bad language spreads and we should fight it
   
   • Main reason for language change is for people to fit into social groups

Question 4

PDE - Events:
James Milroy

Answer 4

1992
Descriptivist - Believes in allowing language variation

• There is no ‘golden age’ in English : it is always changing
• Though important in standardisation, Johnson’s dictionary (1775) had its flaws
  
  • Idiosyncrasies and even jokes from lexicographers hired by Johnson

Question 5

PDE - Events:
David Crystal

Answer 5

2005
Descriptivist - Believes in allowing language variation

• Technology has added a new dimension on language
• Abbreviations and semantic changes don’t indicate damage to language; prove that it’s a ‘living thing’
• English will continue to spread and grow - Chinese is only threat