Readers share their views on the evolution of the English language, responding to an article by Elisabeth Ribbans on the use of 'gotten'. The discussion covers the inevitability of language expansion, the perceived invasiveness of some US variants like 'Can I get…?', and concerns about banality and diminishing the language, while others defend the cosmopolitan and evolving nature of English.
Minding our language on the use of Americanisms
LinguisticsLanguagesWilliam ShakespeareCultureUnited StatesUK
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Readers share their views on the evolution of the English language, responding to an article by Elisabeth Ribbans on the use of 'gotten'. The discussion covers the inevitability of language expansion, the perceived invasiveness of some US variants like 'Can I get…?', and concerns about banality and diminishing the language, while others defend the cosmopolitan and evolving nature of English.
Trending- 1 Early 1950s: The word 'gotten' was commonly used in parts of Yorkshire, UK.
- 2 1980s: Richard Lamming worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, US.
- 3 May 29, 2025: Letters published mentioning 'faucet' and 'gotten'.
- 4 June 3, 2025: Letters published.
- 5 June 4, 2025: Elisabeth Ribbans' article 'How the use of a word in the Guardian has gotten some readers upset' published.
- 6 June 9, 2025: Readers' letters published in response to Ribbans' article, continuing the debate.
- Perceived decline in language precision and elegance due to wholesale adoption of US variants
- Snobbery and criticism among British peers regarding American words or spellings
- Potential for native English alternatives to face extinction due to rapid proliferation of US variants
What: A public debate and exchange of views among readers regarding the increasing influence and adoption of Americanisms (e.g., 'gotten', 'Can I get…?') in the English language, discussing its impact on linguistic evolution, precision, and elegance.
When: Published June 9, 2025; in response to an article from June 4, 2025; references letters from May 29 and June 3, 2025; historical context mentions the 1980s and early 1950s.
Where: United Kingdom (Cromer, Oxton, Ampleforth, Shaldon, Dorchester, Lytham St Anne’s, Lancaster), United States (Cambridge, Massachusetts).
Why: To express diverse opinions on the evolution of the English language, particularly the influence of Americanisms, and to debate whether this constitutes a natural progression or a degradation of the language's quality and precision.
How: Through letters to the editor published in The Guardian, responding to a previous article by Elisabeth Ribbans and other related correspondence.