| Listened to the Radio Lately? | | | | definitely begin to see what I mean. |
| If you've listened attentively to the radio or watched | | | | But Wait, There's More |
| some of the current or recent offerings on the silver | | | | Let's not leave out Black American English or the |
| screen in English, you might have noticed something | | | | "English of the South". |
| alarming. People seem to be losing their ability to | | | | If you're an English as a foreign language teaching |
| properly and effectively communicate in English. Why | | | | professional (ELT), you may well have comprehension |
| with text messaging and text messaging, you virtually | | | | problems with these forms, as will your EFL learners. |
| need to re-learn English in order to be able to function | | | | With the proliferation of public speaking online and off, |
| in these environments. | | | | the problem of incomprehensible English speech is |
| English grammar, spelling and pronunciation have never | | | | getting worse, not better. It appears that as more and |
| been exactly what you'd call easy. As a professor of | | | | more countries adopt English as a lingua franca for |
| English as a foreign language, I'm all too familiar with | | | | business, trade, technology and education, that each is |
| the irregularities and intricacies of English in its | | | | developing its own "variety" of speaking, grammar and |
| seemingly myriad of varieties, dialects, patois and other | | | | spelling. It's almost a catch-as-catch-can situation. |
| divergent forms. Hop onto YouTube for a slice of | | | | The growth and expansion of English worldwide is an |
| English in all its splendorous varieties. Try Australian | | | | almost unprecedented phenomenon. While having |
| English with Steve Irwin or Jamaican English and its | | | | many highly positive aspects, there is a downside to |
| contorted pronunciations. Cue up a couple of the latest | | | | English as a world language. If some basic curbs or |
| rap tunes, and see how well you can follow what's | | | | parameters are not eventually recognized, the English |
| being said. Then there's the English of India and East | | | | language could ultimately be warped beyond all |
| African countries like Kenya and Nigeria, which has a | | | | recognition and return to the days of Beowulf or |
| booming film industry. Relax to a clip or two from one | | | | Chaucer. And who nowadays, can understand that? |
| of the several Nigerian movies online and you'll | | | | |