The main effect of the Internet on language has been to increase the expressive richness of language, providing the language with a new set of communicative dimensions that haven't existed in the past.
David CrystalRead
The Internet offers endangered languages a chance to have a public voice in a way that would not have been possible before.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Internet enables endangered languages to be heard and recognized globally.
David Crystal emphasizes the transformative power of the Internet in preserving endangered languages. By providing a platform for these languages, the Internet allows them to gain visibility and voice in a world where they might otherwise fade away, promoting cultural diversity and awareness.
Themes
Endangered LanguagesInternetPublic VoiceCultural DiversityPreservation
In practice
Example use cases
During a conference on cultural preservation, one might quote this to highlight the importance of the Internet in language revitalization.
More from David Crystal
All quotes βBilingualism lets you have your cake and eat it. The new language opens the doors to the best jobs in society; the old language allows you to keep your sense of 'who you are.' It preserves your identity. With two languages, you have the best of both worlds.
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Language has no independent existence apart from the people who use it. It is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end of understanding who you are and what society is like.
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Enshrined in a language is the whole of a community's history and a large part of its cultural identity. The world is a mosaic of visions. To lose even one piece of this mosaic is a loss for all of us.
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Every usage, no matter how bizarre or nonstandard, fascinates me, as it tells me something about the way language is evolving.
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Likewise, there is no evidence that texting teaches people to spell badly: rather, research shows that those kids who text frequently are more likely to be the most literate and the best spellers, because you have to know how to manipulate language.
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