With these changes come greater homogenisation and a risk of linguicide, as we all adapt to a rapidly changing linguistic landscape. So why are things changing so fast, is it a problem, and what could it mean for the future of how we communicate?
On this episode Lucy Hockings is joined by journalist, author, and linguist Sophia Smith Galer and Neil Edgeller from BBC Learning English to discuss what these changes mean for the languages we speak.
00:00 Introduction 01:16 Generational differences 02:01 What is linguicide? 03:11 What words are emerging with younger generations? 03:28 Trying to define skibidi 03:57 The exclusivity of language for identity making 04:33 Rizz already out of usage 05:17 Vocabulary evolving incredibly fast 05:54 Global homogenisation of slang 07:02 Where this new vocabulary is coming from 08:12 An act of rebellion 08:40 The difference to language change pre-internet 09:24 How languages other than English are changing 11:04 Short lifespan of some words and phrases 11:57 Intonation and pronunciation changes from social media 13:27 Narrowing gap between British and US English 13:58 Is grammar changing too? 14:43 Is language change getting faster? 15:06 The joy of language change and evolution 15:36 What does the future hold? 15:59 Could some languages die out? 16:34 The revitalisation of the MΔori language in New Zealand 17:06 Will AI play a role in language change?
