How the Internet is changing English

Self-study activity: Watch this video in which Professor David Crystal talks about the influence of the Internet on English and answer the questions below.



1. What technological change came in the 1400s?
2. And in the 19th century?
3. And in the 1920s?
4. The Internet really has few technological variations. True or false?
5. The styles of the technologies are basically the same. True or false?
6. New patterns of grammar have emerged with the Internet. True or false?
7. Millions of new words have come into English as a result of the Internet. True or false?
8. English now is the same as before the Internet. True or false?

What do you think? Get together with a friend or classmate and discuss these questions: How important is the Internet for you? Which of the technological manifestations of the Internet Professor Crystal mentions do you regularly use? Do you know anyone who's addicted to any of them?

You can read the script of the video here.

Key: 1printing 2telephone 3broadcasting 4False 5False 6False 7False 8True