“The Internet and the English Language”

“The Internet and the English Language” By: Terence Carter Presented by: Nick Wagner

Introduction • Evolution or Devolution? • In Praise of Words • The “Invisible Person” Syndrome • Training and Tools • All Things Must Change

Evolution or Devolution? • ARPANET • Original internet intended for the government and universities • Not as user-friendly • Addition of e-mail and IRC (internet relay chat) • Widespread by early 1990’s

In Praise of Words • Closer to verbal interaction than the written word • Friendly interaction even between complete strangers • Mutated stenographer’s shorthand • Trite acronyms such as “brb”, “LOL” and “ttyl”

The “Invisible Person” Syndrome • “Accountability breeds meticulousness, while anonymity breeds indolence” • “No one knows who you are” • Poorer grade writing skills have become the standard • You are what you type (language, tone and structure)

Training and Tools • No training with internet tools • Corners are cut in mastered areas (the English language) so more time can be spent learning about internet tools • Spelling and grammar checker can become a useless repository of misspelled words

All Things Must Change • The Internet Age has expanded our lexicon • Obscure scientific words have become commonplace (blog, gigabyte, download, virus) • Skewed words have gained legitimacy • This is how language evolves, but is it for better or worse?

Questions or Comments?

“The Internet and the English Language”