It is threatened by its very ubiquity. It has spread through commerce and finance and colonial effort over the whole globe, but it has not spread in any united fashion. [...] Even those accidents which help to spread the use of English (the cinema is the most obvious example) distort and weaken the tongue, and by making it too common make it less itself.*
It is threatened through the daily Press, which is almost everywhere (but not quite everywhere) concerned with something other than exactitude and purity of speech. Outlandish words are used, because they are short and fit into headlines. Set phrases are used over and over again, because hurried composition (mostly rushed through at night) falls of its own weakness into set phrases. These set phrases (of which Stevenson said that they ought all to be cast in one line of type and kept standing for perpetual use) weaken and degrade the tongue, because the essence of any language, is a subtle exactitude in the expression of emotion, and set phrases are the enemy and opposite of that.
From an essay entitled ‘The Future of English’ in ‘The Silence of the Sea’ (1941) by Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953).
* Belloc may have in mind Falstaff’s remark in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 2 that “it was always yet the trick of our English nation, if they have a good thing, to make it too common.”
Précis
The first threat to our language is the very fact of its global spread, which has loosened the link between the English people and their language. The other threat comes from the mass media, where the pressure to sell papers has led to a formulaic and shoddy English which will not reflect well on us when we have gone. (59 / 60 words)
The first threat to our language is the very fact of its global spread, which has loosened the link between the English people and their language. The other threat comes from the mass media, where the pressure to sell papers has led to a formulaic and shoddy English which will not reflect well on us when we have gone.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, despite, just, or, otherwise, ought, whereas.
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Expression. Than. Whole.
2 Exactitude. Outlive. Spread.
3 Again. All. Concern.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Greatest. 2 Little. 3 Political. 4 Fit. 5 Subtle. 6 United. 7 Threatening. 8 Even. 9 Permanent.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
rvs (5)
raves. revise. revs. revues. roves.
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