The Departments
The Review Online
What to expect from the next decade of English Language...
14th December 2011
1.
We already rely on Asian countries for their unique influences on manufacturing power and technology; however, this will spread to developing English too. They will provide us with brand new versions of English Language, otherwise dubbed as ‘New Englishes’. We are already blessed with ‘Binglish’, ‘Chinglish’ and ‘Zinglish’, even ‘Yiddish’ in-fact. It is these that will encourage the new arrival of ‘blends’ such as ‘ʃinglish’, ‘ʔanglish’, and ‘ƥenglish’-all of which use current phonetic symbols which may also develop.
We already rely on Asian countries for their unique influences on manufacturing power and technology; however, this will spread to developing English too. They will provide us with brand new versions of English Language, otherwise dubbed as ‘New Englishes’. We are already blessed with ‘Binglish’, ‘Chinglish’ and ‘Zinglish’, even ‘Yiddish’ in-fact. It is these that will encourage the new arrival of ‘blends’ such as ‘ʃinglish’, ‘ʔanglish’, and ‘ƥenglish’-all of which use current phonetic symbols which may also develop.
2.
All of the focus on ‘climate change’ that this past few years has introduced to us will also develop because being ‘economically- friendly’ and ‘green’ are still going to be of high importance to society. New theories about where the world will end up and how the world began will appear too! New terms will include the ‘Carbon Imprint’ and for those who are saving the planet one solar panel at a time, further ‘N-metaphors’ will be created, as well as calling your ‘footprint’ a mere ‘tiptoe’ and the fact that you’ll be living a ‘leafy lifestyle’.
All of the focus on ‘climate change’ that this past few years has introduced to us will also develop because being ‘economically- friendly’ and ‘green’ are still going to be of high importance to society. New theories about where the world will end up and how the world began will appear too! New terms will include the ‘Carbon Imprint’ and for those who are saving the planet one solar panel at a time, further ‘N-metaphors’ will be created, as well as calling your ‘footprint’ a mere ‘tiptoe’ and the fact that you’ll be living a ‘leafy lifestyle’.
3.
The further natural (and planned) disasters, including hurricanes, terror threats and a great population surge will breed all kinds of new eponyms (an eponym being a word or a name deriving from the name of a person)-Watch out for the ‘Hurricane Brangelina’ and ‘Hurricane Katona’, the disastrous ‘Torquay Tsunami’ and the great flood of ‘Noah Chomsky’ (of course derived from the linguist, Noam Chomsky)!
The further natural (and planned) disasters, including hurricanes, terror threats and a great population surge will breed all kinds of new eponyms (an eponym being a word or a name deriving from the name of a person)-Watch out for the ‘Hurricane Brangelina’ and ‘Hurricane Katona’, the disastrous ‘Torquay Tsunami’ and the great flood of ‘Noah Chomsky’ (of course derived from the linguist, Noam Chomsky)!
4.
Influence from our cousins, the USA, New Zealand and Australia will continue to boost our language with new words and modernised clippings of our seemingly ‘un-cool’ vocabulary. It’s thanks to Australia that we have been able to welcome ‘uni’-a widely used version of ‘university’-which has shown to be popularly used in my previous research. We can also thank America for the term meaning ‘to agree’- ‘foshizzle’. As it currently stands, New Zealand English is a ‘young dialect’ (Abley 2009), however, it will blossom into a wide spread form of our language and will be more influential and successful!
Influence from our cousins, the USA, New Zealand and Australia will continue to boost our language with new words and modernised clippings of our seemingly ‘un-cool’ vocabulary. It’s thanks to Australia that we have been able to welcome ‘uni’-a widely used version of ‘university’-which has shown to be popularly used in my previous research. We can also thank America for the term meaning ‘to agree’- ‘foshizzle’. As it currently stands, New Zealand English is a ‘young dialect’ (Abley 2009), however, it will blossom into a wide spread form of our language and will be more influential and successful!
5.
As technology continues to develop-we will be introduced to the new forms of wireless and pixel boosting digital media. Watch out for new i-words and e-words to add to our already expanding selection of ‘I- words’ including the i-pod, i-pad and i-phone. There will be the introduction of r-words and d-words such as ‘r-mail’-mail that reads itself and the ‘d-machine’-the mechanical invention that will respond to the sound of your voice. We will also be seen to welcome the invention of the nano-scale computer. As new ideas continue to develop, so will our technological vocabulary. We already have the invention of the ‘robo-goat’ and ‘robo-snake’. Who knows? We may have the ‘robo-cat’ and ‘robo-hamster’ to replace the average pets we have today!
As technology continues to develop-we will be introduced to the new forms of wireless and pixel boosting digital media. Watch out for new i-words and e-words to add to our already expanding selection of ‘I- words’ including the i-pod, i-pad and i-phone. There will be the introduction of r-words and d-words such as ‘r-mail’-mail that reads itself and the ‘d-machine’-the mechanical invention that will respond to the sound of your voice. We will also be seen to welcome the invention of the nano-scale computer. As new ideas continue to develop, so will our technological vocabulary. We already have the invention of the ‘robo-goat’ and ‘robo-snake’. Who knows? We may have the ‘robo-cat’ and ‘robo-hamster’ to replace the average pets we have today!
6.
Scientists will continue to expand their knowledge on genetics and the understanding of the entire human body and from a strand of hair to the tip of your toe, everything will have its own unique name; such as. There will be new terms to add to ‘cloning’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘genotyping’. Scientists will be discovering new ways of getting rid of a cold to fight against any of the new wives tales we create. They will even come up with new theories for how the world began! These will include the ‘techno-birth’ which will show how it was technology that decided we needed our own planet.
Scientists will continue to expand their knowledge on genetics and the understanding of the entire human body and from a strand of hair to the tip of your toe, everything will have its own unique name; such as. There will be new terms to add to ‘cloning’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘genotyping’. Scientists will be discovering new ways of getting rid of a cold to fight against any of the new wives tales we create. They will even come up with new theories for how the world began! These will include the ‘techno-birth’ which will show how it was technology that decided we needed our own planet.
7.
As the catastrophes of war spread and innovate, the military will derive new forms of high-tech weaponry such as the ‘ammo-2k20’ and secrecy involving propaganda techniques. We may unfortunately see a ‘World War III’ which could be named after whoever begins the war or whoever is leading it. New euphemisms that currently have other meanings will be used to describe aspects of war such as: ‘hole-punch’, ‘staining’ and ‘soft-torture’ will join alongside ‘friendly fire’, ‘soft targets’ and ‘non-operative personnel’ all of which enable us to hear news from the frontline.
As the catastrophes of war spread and innovate, the military will derive new forms of high-tech weaponry such as the ‘ammo-2k20’ and secrecy involving propaganda techniques. We may unfortunately see a ‘World War III’ which could be named after whoever begins the war or whoever is leading it. New euphemisms that currently have other meanings will be used to describe aspects of war such as: ‘hole-punch’, ‘staining’ and ‘soft-torture’ will join alongside ‘friendly fire’, ‘soft targets’ and ‘non-operative personnel’ all of which enable us to hear news from the frontline.
8.
Younger people will continue to develop the English Language through the popular use of ‘cyberlanguage’ and other developed forms of communication through technology. This will provide us with new words, new meanings for old words and an overall revival of our vocabulary including further initialisms and acronyms, such as; ‘HGW’ and ‘IWL’ to add to ‘LOL’, ‘BRB’ and ‘ROFL’ which will all enhance the next generation of ‘screenagers’ (a clever adaptation given to teenagers who spend a lot of time in front of a screen!)
Younger people will continue to develop the English Language through the popular use of ‘cyberlanguage’ and other developed forms of communication through technology. This will provide us with new words, new meanings for old words and an overall revival of our vocabulary including further initialisms and acronyms, such as; ‘HGW’ and ‘IWL’ to add to ‘LOL’, ‘BRB’ and ‘ROFL’ which will all enhance the next generation of ‘screenagers’ (a clever adaptation given to teenagers who spend a lot of time in front of a screen!)
9.
We will continue to be absorbed into the fantasy world of science fiction, including further plays, novels and television series to add to the already popular: ‘Doctor Who’, ‘When Harlie Was One’ (the first ever use of the word ‘computer virus’) and ‘The Universal Robot’ (the first use of the word ‘robot’.)
We will continue to be absorbed into the fantasy world of science fiction, including further plays, novels and television series to add to the already popular: ‘Doctor Who’, ‘When Harlie Was One’ (the first ever use of the word ‘computer virus’) and ‘The Universal Robot’ (the first use of the word ‘robot’.)
10.
Going back to point one, the vocabulary of English as a ‘Global Pool’ will continue to expand, absorbing a new variety of words from the many vocabularies in the New and Old English. This may include words that are currently un-heard of, such as ‘cheem’, which means difficult or obscure in Singlish. Other words added to this general pool of English may even include inputs from the currently existing Jamaican English, which already takes influence from Irish, British and American English and has unique words such as ‘bafan’ for clumsy or awkward. These different forms may all be seen to create one new language spoken by every country worldwide.
Going back to point one, the vocabulary of English as a ‘Global Pool’ will continue to expand, absorbing a new variety of words from the many vocabularies in the New and Old English. This may include words that are currently un-heard of, such as ‘cheem’, which means difficult or obscure in Singlish. Other words added to this general pool of English may even include inputs from the currently existing Jamaican English, which already takes influence from Irish, British and American English and has unique words such as ‘bafan’ for clumsy or awkward. These different forms may all be seen to create one new language spoken by every country worldwide.