Era of Tweets: Will English Take a New Avatar?

I read a very interesting piece by Sidharth Bhatia in the Deccan Chronicle and wanted to share it with all of you. Bhatia’s questions about the future of English and its usage will make every lover of well-written English prose sit up and think. His love for the language shines through in every line.

He points out how callously words are misused today: ‘it’s’ and ‘its’, ‘their’ and ‘there’ are often used interchangeably; ‘presently’ is used in place of ‘at present’ or ‘currently’ and so on. “Publications are full of the most astonishing howlers and scrolls on news channels can drive one to tears,” writes Bhatia in this well-crafted piece.

Bhatia asks, “In an era of texting and tweeting, should such rigid rules matter?”

Read his piece and share your thoughts. Do you think English grammar books will soon be a thing of the past?

If you are an editor, do read the part about how the AP style guide will now accept what was once considered a wrong usage. I am referring to the part about the use of ‘hopefully’ (as in this sentence: “Hopefully it will not rain tomorrow”).

Can someone clarify if the AP style guide has indeed okayed the use of ‘hopefully’ in such a context? Have I understood it right?

Editors, look forward to hearing from you!

While on the topic, check your English quotient by taking the free Chillibreeze English writing test.

Vilasini

29 April 2012