Re: <nettime> language virus

["keith@thememorybank.co.uk" <keith@thememorybank.co.uk>]

>At 9:49 AM -0400 8/26/07, keith@thememorybank.co.uk wrote:
>>Fortunately, Christophe Bruno has given me a search engine that would
>>allow me to pursue the matter historically, if I cared that much. A
>>related question for me concerns how or whether the increased numbers
>>of those who speak or write English as a second language on the
>>internet is changing common usage. I doubt if that is the case here,
>>but my query had those sort of issues in mind.

>now this definitely is symptomatic of the thought virus IBF (i blame 
>foreigners) which is known to lead to and/or help justify 
>intellectual laziness, bigotry, dogmatism, xenophobia, fundamentalism 
>and other such disturbing positions.  similar to other viral 
>infections, there are no known treatments for IBF once the virus 
>invades the organism; however the symptoms can be temporarily 
>relieved by looking into your own house, doing your homework and 
>thinking before venting.  IBF symptoms may diminish and it may remain 
>inactive for many years but it will never entirely leave the host's 
>body once it enters, so combating it has to be a life-long commitment.
>
>get well.
>
>gita

I thought an unqualified reference to ESL might to be taken as
politically incorrect. Did it ever occur to you that I might be in
favour of the English language escaping from the clutches of its
imperial begetters? The following mild exchange took place off list.

From: benjamin benjamin@cultura3.net
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:49:29 +0100
To: keith@thememorybank.co.uk
Subject: Re: <nettime> language virus

developments in ESL are too isolated to spread. but i often find my
self wondering about the same issue. i feel english should be allowed
to evolve in reflection of the changes it undergoes in these phases of
globalization - after all english is a constantly shifting language as
much as the face of those who are "english" is constantly evolving and
growing to encompass more and more.


From: keith@thememorybank.co.uk keith@thememorybank.co.uk
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 16:55:50 -0400
To: benjamin@cultura3.net
Subject: Re: <nettime> language virus

I agree. One of my niches is Scandinavia and they appreciate plain
English since transparency is a political virtue there. So just as the
US opened up Victorian English, so too ESL with luck.

Keith






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