Between You and I the English Language is Going to the Dogs

Want to join the debate? Check out the Intelligence Squared website to hear about future live events and podcasts: __________________________ Filmed at the Royal Geographical Society on 5th March 2014. The English language is going to the dogs. “Between you and I“ is just one of the howlers those of us with linguistic sensibilities have to endure. The distinctions between words such as ’infer’ and ’imply’, and ’uninterested’ and ’disinterested’ are disappearing. Americanisms such as ’gotten’, ’different than’ and ’can I get..?’ abound. Every office resounds with horrible new jargon such as ’going forward’, ’deliverables’, ’touch base’ and ’heads up’. Infinitives are split, participles dangle. Language is based on established practice and rules. When the