Alphabet to Email: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading

by Baron,Naomi S.

• ISBN13: 9780415186858
• ISBN10: 0415186854
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-03-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

How is technology changing the way we write? In the fast-moving world of email, content is far more important than spelling and punctuation. Is it time to throw away the old rules--or should we hurry to the rescue? From pen-and-parchment to the email revolution, Naomi Baron's provocative account shows how a surprising variety of factors-not just technology, but also religious beliefs, the law, nationalism, and economics - shape the ways we read, write and communicate. Along the way, readers will discover that: - Long before keyboards and carpal tunnel syndrome, monks grumbled about the ergonomics of the medieval scriptorium - The Stationers of England once declared that "Authors are too mercenary that write books for money." - In 1902 the Times of London proclaimed of the telephone: "An overwhelming majority of the population do not use it and are not likely to use it at all." - Many children who seldom spoke to their parents at home now communicate with them through email - Studies showthat whether or not you use a signature on emails can depend on your status - And much more. From Alphabet to Emailis for anyone who is interested in the history of language and writing, who is concerned about the impact of the digital age on literacy and education, and for everyone who cares about the future of the language.

Author Biography

Naomi S. Baron is Professor of Linguistics and Chair of the Department of Language and Foreign Studies at American University.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	x
Preface	xi
Robin Hood's Retort	1	(25)
Legitimating Written English	26	(22)
Who Writes, Who Reads, and Why	48	(47)
Setting Standards	95	(48)
The Rise of English Comp	143	(24)
Commas and Canaries	167	(30)
What Remington Wrought	197	(19)
Language at a Distance	216	(31)
Why the Jury's Still Out on Email	247	(13)
Epilogue: Destiny or Choice	260	(10)
Notes	270	(15)
Bibliography	285	(20)
Name Index	305	(6)
Subject Index	311