Speaking of language change and digital life, Radio Open Source is preparing a show about "Language Evolution in the Digital Age." Unfortunately, they seem to focus on lexicography and use an awkward notion of "evolution," but it’s quite representative of the language ideology of North American English-speakers.

Let’s hope they  grok the deeper implications of the fact that young people are in fact writing a lot. William Labov and Penny Eckert would be ideal people to talk about language change in this context.

Tags: writing, online writing, IM, scribes, lexicography, podcasts, prescriptive linguistics, normative language, Geoff Pullum, descriptive linguistics, language ideology, English-speakers, Chicago Manual of Style, dictionary, canon, standard register, language registers, digital life, Radio Open Source, language change, William Labov, Penelope Eckert, teenagers, language dynamics, evolutionary perspective