The English language is a subject of fascination for many people and often prompts lively debate in print and online media. The decision not to penalise students’ poor spelling and punctuation, a headteacher’s letter to parents asking them to correct their children’s use of dialect, the Oxford English Dictionary’s inclusion of Nigerian words in recent updates, have all sparked passionate exchanges. While some readers remain strongly committed to the preservation of Standard English, others are more tolerant of non-standard usages. These lectures will engage with such debates, providing a linguistic framework within which a more nuanced and informed discussion can take place concerning the nature of linguisitc variation and change, the role of Standard English, descriptive and prescriptive attitudes, and the status of different registers and varieties.
Prof Simon Horobin is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Magdalen College. His recent works include: How English Became English: A Short History of a Global Language (2016); Bagels, Bumf, and Buses: A Day in the Life of the English Language, (2019).
