The Lexicographer's Rules

Looks like Namibian Otjiherero-speakers aren't the only ones who misspell problem and promblem.

Swedish fights rearguard action against English behemoth. "In 2006, the Academy’s dictionary (ordlista) was updated for the thirteenth time with the inclusion of guzz, (meaning ‘girl’ in Turkish) and keff, (meaning ‘bad’ in Arabic). But what, perhaps, is more interesting is that aftershave, new age, pep talk, sexist, touch and queer made it through, among many other Anglicisms."

Someone whose name I believe is Jenny writes in the blog A Finely Crafted Run-on Sentence about the use of English slang among Ugandan students, as much of an issue there where English shares mouths with myriad other languages as it is in the United States where English dominates:

English is like any form of communication, and the speaker or writer has to know which version to use for which audience. However, the frequency with which the language of the high tech youth changes, and the plurality of examples of text speak leaking into schoolwork raise an issue that I might not have thought of had I not read this article from the perspective of Ungandans, who speak English as a second language.

Read her older posts, too. They’re very much on-topic for the open-door online chat I’ll be having with Anu Garg of A Word A Day on Sunday, when we’ll be discussing the effect that slang has on communication in, and comprehension of, English.

On Sunday, April 22, at 6 p.m. PST I’ll be joining Anu Garg of A Word a Day to discuss the nature of slang: its place in English, whether it represents linguistic innovation or corruption, and why people have such a visceral reaction to it.

It’s an open text chat, meaning that anyone with a computer can sign on to the chat forum and lob questions. I’ll be answering them at 80 words per minute (as fast as I can type) and Anu will be handling moderation. We expect a lively and vigorous conversation from all corners of the Internet.

Join the chat.

Download the appointment to automatically add it to iCal, Outlook, or Google Calendar.

Private argot in the public sphere. "Hearing the girl say 'make a call' (dǎ zhāohu), and 'whack' (bǎipíng), I gasped involuntarily, and felt a shiver on that warm spring day. That uncomfortable feeling lasted for quite a few days. This kind of hooliganish language has been popular for many years; people think nothing of it, and it has even entered the structure of social discourse. Regardless, someone who has been educated or who is a bit civilized should have an instinctive repugnance toward such language. This baiping and the widespread gǎodìng and fēngkǒu were not originally part of everyday speech, but rather pure bandit argot. I don't recall that language during the Cultural Revolution, so I don't know when it started. Even kids today know how to use it."