David Crystal - The Effect of New Technologies on English

From the interview with David Crystal in Belgrade on 9 November 2013
Interviewer: Tony O'Brien, British Council Director Western Balkans

[@danbull]

David Crystal really brings to life subject matter that could have been dry and boring. Knight him!

[@massattack9503]

i didnt expect to see you here love your raps

[@Bellaaaaa_0]

BOOM BOOM BOOM

[@AdelsonDePaulo]

I really like Professor's Crystal speech! He a very good conversationalist!

[@CloselyObservedTeaching]

David Crystal is a public treasure. I had the good fortune to meet him in person in Bratislava in 2019 - the man is pure charisma with one of the most scintillating intellects I've ever come across. Really quite something to get to meet him and shake his hand.

[@berylcomar]

David Crystal was Professor in Applied Linguistics where I did my MA. I adored him as a bright light, a questioner and the brain sparks he set off for me into the world of NLP

[@alikarimi1987]

I have to admit that the way the idea of technology and its impact on language is presented in this lecture was spellbinding and so superb that I have watched it 3 times

[@ruthdjalbert661]

I could listen to this linguist all day. Such depth of thought, such clarity. We are all thankful.

[@ThomasRizk]

Very insightful! Great watch!

[@cristinaartiaga1921]

David Crystal gave us a deeper knowledge of the English language. His lesson is clear, interesting, understandable and very informative.

[@marinaterrosi885]

Yes, a brilliant storyteller. I love his talks

[@KayHarpaGone]

I really like if there is a french linguist who has at least half of your knowledge, your intelligence, your love for humankind, dear David. I like so much what you are saying on KZbin and I also like so much your son Ben. I'm french, I can't understand all you are saying (especially Ben because he is speaking faster and his voice is very deep) but I rather can follow you because your english accent is very understantable and what both of you are saying are so interesting. I had to learnt baroque prononciation in latin, french and german when I used to sing, 20 years ago and I still go on listening to baroque music. So I'm very interesting by all your conferences. Merci beaucoup, professeur David.

[@racignelda7973]

Clear, precise and updated to what goes on in 2023! Great!

[@ehaabalmadany3699]

iam so interested to listen to this lecture . this guy is real proffersor he is my favourit linguist.

[@archanajoshi5683]

He's an amazing speaker! I really enjoy listening to him. Lucid!

[@kamalpreetsingh1686]

i become conscious about language and technology.....his way of explaining things is amazing....this is technology ,we can see and listen to these great people

[@vilmaresuelo8250]

HE TALKS VERY CLEAR in English .Makes his lecture easily understood.

[@rethikar6191]

Thank you David crystal for your speech on new technologies on English.

[@nusrahbi8378]

Brilliant lecture!

[@harrycook9041]

I've met the guy, he's really cool!

[@Ian-dn6ld]

Broadcasting actually has taken a darker turn. Perhaps not through the talking segments but through music and pressure groups who use those musicians we like to spread those opinions to us

[@abukhalidashabs1606]

Nice. .Thanks to much. .

[@TheDerslok]

But what about online gaming and dank memes?

[@isaacvandermerwe744]

ikr not stonks smh my head

[@simonfeuz8196]

He said that the use of language and how it changes would not be affected by new thechnologies, which is very true. But at least in Switzerland the local dialects in the "german" speaking part of Switzerland are the ONLY tool to communicate in dailylife, even university professors speak Swiss-german outside of the lecture and also during appointments! Texting on the internet really helped these dialects, because now casual texting is in the local dialects(which are highly distinct to the standard german language). Before the internet and SMS style of communicating every single piece of written languge was the standard german language, not the language the people actually spoke, the Swiss (Alemannic) variation of the Proto-Germanic language. Therefore the new methods of communicating helped to keep a (non-standardised) language alive in a way. Therefore new technologies can have a big influence on language, maybe not on standard languages but on the use of a language that would otherwise go extinct.

[@namelesss8226]

he's mainly talking bout english tho..

[@lauralai9694]

Thank you, Mr. Crystal! I'm watching this video in 2020. Nowadays, we don't only say 'hello, are you there?' but we tell the smartphone to dial the number for us, and guess what? It does! :-) Language is an alive entity and it makes sense to evolve and to be shaped by the elements around. I understand those linguists worried about the impact of the abbreviations with short text messages, for ex. They are another language. If a brain is like a muscle one trains, and if one uses daily the 'short text messages language', it may get to difficulties in writing grammatically and literary correct.With Twitter is different - one has to keep its sentences short. I think, in the end, it comes to each of us and the way each of us treasures the written words and language, in general.

[@qacekhalifa8516]

fantastic

[@m.b.nagaraj7666]

Translation from one language to another language instantly make Revolution in knowledge World through computer

[@trex9822]

"People thought the telephone would be the biggest disaster in society because it would mean people wouldn't get out of the house to talk to each other." Bold of historical peeps to assume I would leave the house at all, phone or no phone!! The telephone isn't the biggest disaster in society - it's me! aaaahahahahaha

[@guilhermetomas1595]

u okay, t rex?

[@trex9822]

@@guilhermetomas1595 lmao i don't even remember writing that comment 😂 and yes im okay.. as okay as one can be in covid times!

[@paimansabir4158]

interesting!

[@clique9er950]

Brilliant! I wonder if he would still think the same.

[@ardent-ace27]

Crystal-sempai

[@barkharawat4577]

it is very good

[@amelgoudjil6672]

I fall in love with him hhhh professor Crystal :D

[@federicolazzarini1898]

Molto interessante a mio parere

[@lucias1276]

Is this video still up to date?

[@doctorrobot5616]

7:37

[@doctorrobot5616]

9:35

[@doctorrobot5616]

4:15

[@notarat9303]

pogChamp

[@doctorrobot5616]

10:33

[@sedan1814]

I agree. I like English.

[@MritzGT]

Who is here for english M.R.s M.A

[@ayeshasana7355]

It's 2023 me listen about twitter

[@danieleastman7093]

I am not sure that understanding the flexibility of english will help me be a better teacher, when I am going to teach one dialect that already is confusing as hell

[@SilvanaDil]

He's very British, but unless you're the Queen, the influence of American English is inescapable.

[@elissathechattyone]

SilvanaDil that’s untrue if you’ve ever been to the uk

[@benjaminhall7445]

@@elissathechattyone Then why does he say "technologies" instead of 'types of technology'? I've never said 'technologies' until doing my TESOL course, and I still uncomfortable in doing so.

[@elissathechattyone]

Benjamin Hall a one word difference is not significant, we all use different words in our speech communities however we all use the same variety in england

[@benjaminhall7445]

I'm not saying it's not but I thought the point was American English is/isn't escapable. He's British but he uses American English.

[@berylcomar]

All those who have travelled well are influenced by the language use around them.. words, body language, pronunciation, abbreviations etc. Surely this is part of his lecture .. language is not static, neither was the Queen’s language

[@ollieclayton7612]

This really scared my son, please take this down.

[@boukhentacheslimane5692]

A brilliant linguists, i think he should have done more to his native language Welsh than serving the language of power and the Queen, English. Many people are out there to improve English discourse, but not many i guess are at the service Welsh. Anyway, English made you famous, personal thought

[@AdamLeuer]

I find the idea that a linguist ought to serve at the behest of a language, or worse, a nationality, to be rather troubling. There's every reason to study Celtic languages. In fact, noted linguists, including one David Crystal (perhaps you've heard of him), have argued passionately that such minority languages should be not only studied, but nurtured and promoted, as their existence is vital to the continued health of our multicultural society. (www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/oct/25/features11.g21) But what you're asking is that obligation to tribe and ethnicity be foremost among a scholar's priorities. Perhaps you can understand why invocations of nationalism and tribalism are counterproductive to achieving (what I believe is) your actual goal (and a noble and laudable one at that): greater understanding and appreciation of your native tongue. [Sidenote: as an American of British, Irish, and German extraction I don't really have a dog in this fight. But I don't mean to forgive or whitewash the nationalist and tribalist motivations of the _other_ side, those that almost certainly motivated the English repression of native Celtic languages like Welsh and the various forms of Gaelic].

[@janbrezik5816]

ok boomer

[@randomguy574]

lol

[@mbnm5867]

Go speak a real language it's called French.

[@jeffh5734]

Gross.

[@ehaabalmadany3699]

iam so interested to listen to this lecture . this guy is real proffersor he is my favourit linguist