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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
It’s remarkably tough to find current linguistic exploration and this is already a touch dated since slang updates so frequently. Regardless, super interesting both from the perspective of the journey of the author and her subject matter.
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
This was a really good introduction to the fascinating field of the internet’s impact on language and the evolution of language over time. I particularly enjoyed the last section challenging “old ways” of thinking about language (static, right/wrong) and instead seeing it as a growing, evolving, and diversifying thing.
There was a lot missing from the book, and while this was addressed too, it already felt a bit outdated. I would love to see another take on it because of the boom in distributed working particularly. I was really grateful for a few more talking points for the validity of online relationship-building and digital communications. I agree with the author that the distinction about “in real life” and “online” is unhelpful (especially for us remote workers) and what counts as “real” is very much steeped in traditional, limited thinking.
I didn’t love the comments about how social media is a part of life and likened non-adopters to luddites. It’s a bit more complex than that. There are many valid reasons that people don’t have an online profile (domestic abuse, victims of crime, privacy concerns, data management concerns, disinterest) and none of these nor the problematic aspects of these platforms were addressed. Social media and its adverse effects on wellbeing, body image, and development are well documented; as the space gets increasingly corporatized, people who value genuine connection may eschew the platforms for something altogether different. That’s probably a whole other book but I would have liked to see a bit more balance to this element.
There was a lot missing from the book, and while this was addressed too, it already felt a bit outdated. I would love to see another take on it because of the boom in distributed working particularly. I was really grateful for a few more talking points for the validity of online relationship-building and digital communications. I agree with the author that the distinction about “in real life” and “online” is unhelpful (especially for us remote workers) and what counts as “real” is very much steeped in traditional, limited thinking.
I didn’t love the comments about how social media is a part of life and likened non-adopters to luddites. It’s a bit more complex than that. There are many valid reasons that people don’t have an online profile (domestic abuse, victims of crime, privacy concerns, data management concerns, disinterest) and none of these nor the problematic aspects of these platforms were addressed. Social media and its adverse effects on wellbeing, body image, and development are well documented; as the space gets increasingly corporatized, people who value genuine connection may eschew the platforms for something altogether different. That’s probably a whole other book but I would have liked to see a bit more balance to this element.
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
A linguistic history of the Internet - some good nostalgic things, some fun linguistics things, and some interesting unexpected directions. I did get a little bogged down about halfway through, but managed to persevere!