Panglossian

List panglossian

• The state of the language

  

  His is not the panglossian attitude that all is neccessarily for the best in the best of all possible languages, but he does feel that change is necessary--and healthy--in any living languagethe literary editor of the times of london, howard takes a robust, commonsensical view of the changes that are happening in englishhoward here examines the language in its various branches and categories, such as grammar and pronunciation, spelling and punctuation, dialect and slanghe asks whether the language is actually changing as fast as we suppose, and, if so, whyhoward argues that as far as we can, we should strive to direct and control the changes in english in ways that increase its powerrather than have us wring our hands, philip howard entreats us, with his customary with and erudition, to use our tongues in concert with our brainssee oxfam website for delivery information read moreoxfam bookshop cheltenham is the english language in decline? many people seem to think so--but philip howard isn't one of themhe navigates the back streets of euphemism and the broad, boring boulevards of clichehe discusses the effect the new technologies, from cable tv to photocomposition, are having on the mother tongue, and he examines the new dialects that are coming into useand where we can't help it, he says, we should lie back and enjoy its immense richness, which is unrivaled by any other language

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