a brave new linguistic world

In There was a great deal of written variation in the daily press and in
1877
such the English
'special' language
domains was much
as science, more homogeneous
law, religion
but the public presence of spoken English was remarkably
and literature; than it is today.

unvaried. Regional dialects-though considered

quaint-were viewed as sub-standard, fit only for
adding colour to the low-life or eccentric characters
populating the pages of such novelists as Dickens.
There was little mobility: many people would live
their whole lives in one community, hearing no
accent or dialect outside those used by their
immediate social contacts. Global variation was hardly
noticed: American English had begun to make its mark, as
an alternative standard, but other parts of the English-
speaking world were shrouded in linguistic mystery.

in the past 125 years, and 1877 certainly seems to have been special in this
Therespect.
proliferation
That wasofthe
newyear
spoken
whenvarieties has been
the telephone firstthe most
went intonoticeable trend
commercial
use. It was the year when the phonograph was first demonstrated, launching the
era of sound recording. Each of these technologies led to new dimensions of
speech variation -and with the arrival of broadcasting in the 1920s, varieties of
speech became sophisticated
indeed, rivalling the written
language for their range and
versatility (in news reading, ...there is still plenty of energy left
weather forecasting, interviewing,
sports commentary and many
in the global spread of English ...
more). Fifty years on, and the
Internet brought yet another dimension to language variation, introducing new
interactive varieties (for example, e-mail and chat) and new possibilities of written
expression (for example, text messaging).

and consequently yet more language variation, is going to continue. There is

Butstillweplenty
ain't seen nothin'leftyet.
of energy in All
the the signsspread
global indicate that technological
of English, progress,
which has already
generated a range of highly recognisable varieties (such as in Australia, South
Africa, and India). English could easily become a two-level ('diglossic') language,
with standard English maintaining the demands of international and national

\sll'OlIallls go for a drive on tile IIIOOIL 1972. Firsl ('lIIails al'l' s('111 Israeli Olvmpic compound is stol'liled bV "raj) gn('lrillasu Jobn Bet,jeman is appointed POl'l Llurealf ..

1973 End of Vil'ln,IIi1 \\ar .. Open Lnimsil.1 a\\ards ils nrsl degms \\olllen are allowed un Ibe London Slock E\ebange floor fill' Ibe firsllillle ... 1974 \ilioll\\ide

posteoding compleled in CL L K hil bl naliullal strikes resulling in 3-d,,} \\ccL \Lvon resigns over \lalergale. Brilain's firsl ~reDonald's I'estauranl opens in Sunlh

London ... 1975u BritOJls Sa\\Ts' to ,joining tbI' Cllropean COllllllon \larkeL.. C"mbodhl lalls to KhmCl Rougeu 1976u Allleril'a's Viking spaeenaft lands on \lars and sends

back Ihe nrsl close-liP piclures of Ihe phlllets sllrfaeeu 1977 PlInk na starls in Britain ... Space Shlltlle Jilakes its maidcn flightu The film Slar \\ars is released
 intelligibility alongside non-standard varieties expressing local identities. There
are already signs that these local varieties, especially when mixed with other
languages (as with 'Singlish' in Singapore), are not intelligible to English speakers
outside of that community.

as a consequence. We will need to replace the comfortable dual mindset of

The'British'
world of English language teaching is going to change out of all recognition
vs 'American' English by one which recognises an increasing number
of regional standard models. The
range of varieties
we will
expenence
...the world of English language teaching is
around
us will
going to change out of all recognition ...
place
, much greater demands on our listening and reading
comprehension, and the rise of regional and
national varieties will require a greater focus on
'r
cultural studies within language coursework.
When a variety (for instance, South African
English) develops a distinctive local vocabulary of
10,000 words or more, the only way to get to grips
with it is to develop an awareness of the local factors
(such as politics) which gave rise to this vocabulary
in the first place. We will need to supplement the
familiar dichotomy of teaching 'speech' and 'writing'
with a third medium-electronic communication through
Oavid Crystal
the internet. We will need to cope with the consequences of a
David Crystal is honorary professor of
high speed pace of language change: a new word entering the linguistics at the University of Wales,
Bangor, and works from his home in
language can be worldwide within a matter of minutes. Standards will therefore
Holyhead, Anglesey as a writer, editor,
change much more rapidly than in the past. lecturer and broadcaster. His recent
authored works include 'Language
and the Internet' and 'Shakespeare's
Words'. He is editor of the New
Penguin Encyclopedia.

We teaching, and I do not believe it is possible to take account of these

are approaching
factors by the slow aadaptation
truly revolutionary
of present moment
theories inand
English language
procedures. A
whole new paradigm shift is on the horizon in which the notions of language
variation and change must become central. Applying this to such domains as
syllabus design and testing will be difficult but unavoidable. There will be plenty to
keep Trinity busy over the next 125 years, in this brave new linguistic world.

1978 TlIf' (ompact disc is Ihsl demonstratf(j first baby is born fl'O11 I ,J trst-Iubcu 1979u SOIl\ inlroduce Ihe Persllnal \\'alklllan ... ~brl \luIOre\\a ]JCcollles Rhodesi,Js

first black Prinlf \linislcl' \largmt Th,llchCl' bC('OInes Britain's first woman Prinle \linislCl'u 1980 ,John LClIllOn shol dcadu. \lorld lIealih Org,lI1isation claims 11",1 slllallpO\

has bcen fliminatedu. 1981. Scienlisls identi!\ the .\IDS \irus." Charles Hnd Ilialla IIlal'l}u 1982u Lllcmplo,\lIIenIICH('hes :) million in the LL bscitl<1tion of thc Falkhll1d

IslHnds conflict... Ch,lnnel Four goes on Ihe air", 198} Iran at war \\illl Iraqu \lolhn Teresa IlIlnoured \\itll the Ordrr of \!crit... 1984 Band Aid is !(II'lIIed 10 help lIw

famine in Ellliophl Ted Huglies becolllcs Poe! Llurcatc .., ~latintosh computer is lannclied." 1985. Boris Becker becolllcs ,Ioungesl \\ imbledon IIIPIIS e1wllpion in hislory

19