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Dynamic English
August 2007
This edition of eJournal USA discusses forces that shape and change everyday English. From cultural and international influences, such as words that come directly, or in a changed form from another language, to popular media, including movies, music and sports, to changes arising from technological developments, the authors present examples of ways English changes daily. Other articles describe the process of language change, and tips for deciphering slang.
Inside This Publication
In Depth
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From Arabic to English
Hundreds of English words derive from the Arabic language. The author, Alan Pimm-Smith, traces the origins of many technical, as well as common, terms.
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Arabic in the Saddle
Many English words relating to horses and horsemanship came from Arabic by way of Spanish.
Coming Up
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English Roundtable
An "Ask America" webchat exploring the ins and outs of English. Led by Damon Anderson from the State Department’s Office of English Language Programs.
December 9, 2008, 01:00 EST (14:00 Beijing, 06:00 GMT)
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The Outline of American literature, newly revised, traces the paths of American narrative, fiction, poetry and drama as they move from pre-colonial times into the present, through such literary movements as romanticism, realism and experimentation.
Related Article
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Dominican-American Author Junot Diaz Wins Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Reviewers have consistently cited Oscar Wao as one of the best books of 2007. The novel’s language, punctuated by a liberal use of Spanish-American slang, is "a sort of streetwise brand of Spanglish that even the most monolingual reader can easily inhale," according to New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani.