Shariatmadari's Evidence on the English Language: And Critical Analysis (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Number Date Shariatmadari's Evidence on the English Language: And Critical Analysis Here on the blog, David Shariatmadari has written an excellent piece explaining why he does not believe English is in decline. He uses a range of evidence such as historical accounts, grammatical theories and social commentaries to back up his claims. Although many of his terms are quite convincing, as they rightfully should be. Shariatmadari, for example, points out that historical figures including Jonathan Swift and James Beattie bemoaned the state of English in their own days. These references demonstrate indeed a tradition of worry about language change, but they do not entail that what is going on now are changes for the worse. The fear the study expresses, in other words — that instead of us controlling language as an abstract species godparent, it controls us — is no more less justified now than ever (Shariatmadari). While not directly relevant to this discussion, the claim that English is no longer as widely spoken and has lost its expressive capacity (I seem only able to think about communication when talking language anymore) due to evolution in usage may be classified by some as a big fat 'False'. Language is indeed resilient, but blurring of distinctions like "disinterested" vs. "uninterested," may cause confusion between the lines when we communicate with one another. In professional situations (or at university) this might not only impede the possibility of exact conversations but it is also very unclear what actually was said (Crystal). Even the notions that he ascribes to Shariatmadari, such as the claim that language evolution benefits all parties involved in some unproblematic way are probably more sweeping than most approaches would allow. For instance, the advent of digital communication has unleashed a new wave of shorthand and slang that often muddies meaning instead of clarifying it. But Shariatmadari gives a compelling account of how different ge...