English Language FAQ

Nassim Taleb's The Black Swan (2007)puts forward the theory that the most important events are usually impossible to predict. The title refers to the fact that all swans were believed to be white - until a black one was discovered. This unpredictability is particularly important in relation to finance. A trader can calculate what he thinks is likely to happen in the market, taking into account known contingencies. What can't be predicted is what Donald Rumsfeld called - 'the unknown unknowns', There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. Former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on February 12, 2002 Taleb puts it like this The events that impact on our lives most are impossible to predict. After they occur we find rationalisations for them but we should accept

Not according to Henry Hitchings new book: ‘The Language Wars: A History of Proper English' in the 18th-century authors were sprinkling apostrophes over everything. Though you may think the shopkeeper is ignorant and wrong to advertise “CD’s & Video’s”, he has history on his side.   From the Economist Hitchings goes on to suggest that the apostrophe may be nearing its sell by date. Tell me this isn’t true, I can’t live in a world without contractions .... Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation The Language Wars: A History of Proper English

The discussions on how to save the euro were, bizarrely conducted in English, though there were not a Briton in sight .   The Sunday Times 14/02/10 Listen! More on this & related topics below. (English language level: Upper Intermediate CEF (B2) According to David Graddol's extensive survey for the British Council, the number of non-native or second language speakers of English now outnumbers those of primary or native speakers. At the same time there is an ever increasing need for speakers of different languages to communicate with each other: international tourism is growing, but the proportion of encounters involving a native English speaker is declining (1.9). There were around 763 million international travellers in 2004, but nearly 75% of visits involved visitors from a non-English-speaking country travelling to a non-English-speaking destination. This demonstrates the ... growing role for global English. (free)  Interview with Robert McCrum: The rise of Gl

The King James Bible 1611 The publication of the a translation of The Bible into English authorised by King James. Leading linguist David Crystal describes its impact: I think the King James Bible did something that nobody else had done ... and that is increase the idiomatic range of the language.   The Bible has had an enormous influence on the evolution of the English language. It not only expanded vocabulary but introduced new ways of  expressing complex ideas. Until recently most educated English-speaking people had at least some knowledge of  the Bible. Many words, phrases and idioms have entered the language. The translation with the greatest influence on modern English is the what is the translation authorized by King James in 1611 . This became the version used in Anglican (protestant) churches in England. It is widely admired for the beauty of its language. More on the role of The Bible in the evolution of English here : Audio interview with David Crystal about the KJB

Not according to millions of student of English as a foreign language! But English does have some 'user friendly features as an OUP lexicographer explains in this short extract from a BBC interview Easy English (ESL)

Because I accidentally restricted access! Have corrected - comments welcome!