Father Christmas of the English language. Every single letter uttered by Prof. Crystal is worthy of analysis, consideration and reconsideration. Eminent linguist, perhaps the greatest living linguist with Noam Chomsky. Love and respect him dearly.
Thanks for posting this. 15 years after recording it is more relevant than ever. Each of the topics/questions could easily be expanded into an entire lecture/show on their own. Especially interested in the parts on multilingualism in immigration, minority languages, and individuals 'code switching' between different types of English depending on where they are or who their audience is. I also love Crystal's work on promoting the original pronunciation of Shakespeare as a way of making it more accessible (not mentioned here... go look for it). Cheers!
For an employed, (in this case as a default of living/enjoyment) of linguistics, to intentionally, and perhaps purposely confuse (language), with a predominantly, agreed, forced, and an eventual buy product (code) of a, in current (use) system, then from that stating, that there has never been such an achievement by any other (language/code), and failing completely, really scares me. Based on the same measures (used here) of a system such as (civilization), (I forgot Sanskrit) Egyptian, Greek, Aramaic, Latin, Mandarin, Farsi, and Arabic (just to mention a few top contenders) make English look as an extinct code, on the same measures used. Because either one on it's own, at their respective periods (with many still continuing) bordered the very edge of the world at many points. On top of that, either one on it's own, bordered the edge of the universe also. On top of that if anyone happened to find themselves on the way to/from, or in the actual heaven or hell, either of the above mentioned codes/(more in the a language types than any modern versions), would have, (with many still continuing to) already be there, wherever there might be, as a heaven or hell. On top of that, God, or any possible god's would have understood only and only from the above mentioned (languages/codes). On top of that, all modern codes had to go there, at the edge of the world, at the edge of the universe, and in hell or heaven (in some cases seven off, or more), learn any of the above (languages/codes), speak to God, or any other god's, and then translate the knowledge into a possible modern version, in order to built up that modern version from that experience. Putting some very seriously to look at doubt, to the (intellectual claim about English here), especially in relation to a field as linguistics.
Why is it a bad thing if English is a "steamroller" killing off other languages? I mean if we're talking about an unwritten/unrecorded language, in that case I'd want it thoroughly catalogued, and recorded first. However, most of the languages being crushed by English today have written records, and it would be extremely easy to record audio catalogues of them. We don't actually need native speakers, that's one of the greatest things about technology. To me, this resembles the idea of ethnic-preservation. This is a natural phenomenon, countless languages, and ethnic groups no longer exist, not because they were annihilated, but because the languages were supplanted, and the people wholly absorbed by others. This is what humans do, this is how we integrate with one another, and its how everything we know came into being. Why should we intervene in this natural process? There is no need for us to do it, these languages will cease to be used, they won't cease to fucking exist, we will still be able to study them, read their texts, and listen to audio catalogues of them, and in that regard they will preserved for all future generations, and those who want to learn them can, and those who don't care won't have to be bothered, or have these languages, which are essentially useless in practical terms today, forced upon them like many school children in Ireland in schools which require them to learn Irish. Despite the fact that there is no practical reason to learn it whatsoever, it is purely linguistic-nationalism... which began under a nationalist government who wanted to purge the influence of the English Occupation. This is not 100AD, with technology we can build a record of a language so thorough that it would be even better than having a native speaker around, we can stop using a language without it being lost to history. So really, what is the practical purpose for intervening? There isn't one, is there? Its just identitarianism in action...
![HIWWHEE | OHM [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OJJLtTLqLag/mqdefault.jpg)
Father Christmas of the English language. Every single letter uttered by Prof. Crystal is worthy of analysis, consideration and reconsideration. Eminent linguist, perhaps the greatest living linguist with Noam Chomsky. Love and respect him dearly.
Prof.David Crystal is indeed a great linguist. Best wishes.
Recorded in 2004, this interview brings important topics on English Language History!
Amazing! Thanks!
Thanks for posting this. 15 years after recording it is more relevant than ever. Each of the topics/questions could easily be expanded into an entire lecture/show on their own. Especially interested in the parts on multilingualism in immigration, minority languages, and individuals 'code switching' between different types of English depending on where they are or who their audience is. I also love Crystal's work on promoting the original pronunciation of Shakespeare as a way of making it more accessible (not mentioned here... go look for it). Cheers!
like his lectures on the internet i learned a lot from him
Thanks for uploading 👏
Thank you ever so much
I wish they would put dates on these interviews
Hi Robert, the interview was recorded in 2004 as part of the Beyond Babel DVD project
@@MichaelBlytheInfonation Thanks, Michael
@@MichaelBlytheInfonation thanks for sharing that
Thanks for uploading this
The Language Revolution does take place
Great interview.
David Crystal my favourite linguist.
Thank you!
I want to be David Crystal when I grow up. 😍
Your Channel is great to learn english like us look improve our english class nowdays bye and talk better in everysituation
For an employed, (in this case as a default of living/enjoyment) of linguistics, to intentionally, and perhaps purposely confuse (language), with a predominantly, agreed, forced, and an eventual buy product (code) of a, in current (use) system, then from that stating, that there has never been such an achievement by any other (language/code), and failing completely, really scares me.
Based on the same measures (used here) of a system such as (civilization), (I forgot Sanskrit) Egyptian, Greek, Aramaic, Latin, Mandarin, Farsi, and Arabic (just to mention a few top contenders) make English look as an extinct code, on the same measures used.
Because either one on it's own, at their respective periods (with many still continuing) bordered the very edge of the world at many points. On top of that, either one on it's own, bordered the edge of the universe also. On top of that if anyone happened to find themselves on the way to/from, or in the actual heaven or hell, either of the above mentioned codes/(more in the a language types than any modern versions), would have, (with many still continuing to) already be there, wherever there might be, as a heaven or hell. On top of that, God, or any possible god's would have understood only and only from the above mentioned (languages/codes). On top of that, all modern codes had to go there, at the edge of the world, at the edge of the universe, and in hell or heaven (in some cases seven off, or more), learn any of the above (languages/codes), speak to God, or any other god's, and then translate the knowledge into a possible modern version, in order to built up that modern version from that experience.
Putting some very seriously to look at doubt, to the (intellectual claim about English here), especially in relation to a field as linguistics.
New Englishes only work on a local identity level.
Why is it a bad thing if English is a "steamroller" killing off other languages? I mean if we're talking about an unwritten/unrecorded language, in that case I'd want it thoroughly catalogued, and recorded first. However, most of the languages being crushed by English today have written records, and it would be extremely easy to record audio catalogues of them. We don't actually need native speakers, that's one of the greatest things about technology. To me, this resembles the idea of ethnic-preservation. This is a natural phenomenon, countless languages, and ethnic groups no longer exist, not because they were annihilated, but because the languages were supplanted, and the people wholly absorbed by others. This is what humans do, this is how we integrate with one another, and its how everything we know came into being. Why should we intervene in this natural process? There is no need for us to do it, these languages will cease to be used, they won't cease to fucking exist, we will still be able to study them, read their texts, and listen to audio catalogues of them, and in that regard they will preserved for all future generations, and those who want to learn them can, and those who don't care won't have to be bothered, or have these languages, which are essentially useless in practical terms today, forced upon them like many school children in Ireland in schools which require them to learn Irish. Despite the fact that there is no practical reason to learn it whatsoever, it is purely linguistic-nationalism... which began under a nationalist government who wanted to purge the influence of the English Occupation. This is not 100AD, with technology we can build a record of a language so thorough that it would be even better than having a native speaker around, we can stop using a language without it being lost to history. So really, what is the practical purpose for intervening? There isn't one, is there? Its just identitarianism in action...