Language itself changes slowly but the internet has speeded up the process of those changes so you notice them more quickly.

Language itself changes slowly but the internet has speeded up the process of those changes so you notice them more quickly.

Ever since the arrival of printing - thought to be the invention of the devil because it would put false opinions into people's minds - people have been arguing that new technology would have disastrous consequences for language.

Word books traditionally focus on unusual and quirky items. They tend to ignore the words that provide the skeleton of the language, without which it would fall apart, such as 'and' and 'what,' or words that provide structure to our conversation, such as 'hello.

You don't talk to a linguist without having what you say taken down and used in evidence against you at some point in time.

The internet is an amazing medium for languages.

Texting has added a new dimension to language use, but its long-term impact is negligible. It is not a disaster.