What is English?

Everyone who has struggled with the notion of "correctness" in spoken or written English knows that what is considered "right" is not well-defined. I myself have advised many ESL speakers of this fact in order to ease their fear of making a big grammar gaffe. In Toronto in particular, where 49% of the population is born outside of Canada, the most common ESL pitfalls almost go unnoticed. And now with the influx of internet terminology (and thus the creation of new words), and the relaxing of rules that limit terms to specific parts of speech (the "verbing" of nouns like "Google"), the English language is changing even faster than ever before. So where does this leave the rules that were so tediously drilled into our heads in English class? What is the English language, and who controls it?

I had always prided myself as someone well-informed of grammar, and styled myself as a bit of a grammar stickler when it came to certain mistakes. But as my life was increasingly invaded by technology, I found myself verbing nouns, and telling my friends to just "Google that." It seemed that as I drifted away from the formal education of my youth into the real world where all that matters is comprehension, my concern over the nuances of English grammar quickly faded. I learned to live with the reality of my surroundings: a population of people who either don't care if they incorrectly use "whom" or those who are trying to learn later on in life what is arguably the hardest language to grasp.

Just when I thought that I had reconciled my knowledge with the actuality of 21st century life, I took a course in copy editing. I was instantly flooded with a slew of archaic and tedious grammar rules, the complexity of Canadian English spelling, and the subjectivity of what it means to apply these rules to a manuscript. Learning the inane history of how "rules" like never ending a sentence with a preposition arose certainly did not help. And to top it all off, I was told that due to changes in usage, half the rules I was currently learning may be obsolete within the next 10 years.

The contention of these two spheres--grammar as it is taught and grammar as it is used--caused me to wonder who really determines what is "English." On the one hand, correct usage is largely determined by the printed word (this is what style and grammar guides tend to base any changes for new editions on), and the printed word is controlled by copy editors, who by the very nature of their profession tend to favour a more traditional approach to grammar. On the other hand, what is written in print is influenced by the way people talk, and informal publications such as blogs. So where does the balance lie? Do both sides have an equal, but checked say or does one have more clout than the other? And is the balance of power changing?

I certainly don't have an answer to that--that would require very serious research, and certainly a longer article than what I am currently writing. But one thing I do know is who is not in control: a regulatory language body such as France's l'Académie française. When I first heard that the French had a government-sponsored academic body to regulate language, I laughed at the absurdity of French bureaucracy. But now, having seen the problems that arise when no clear standard is present (I'm looking at you Canadian spelling), I can appreciate the benefits in having an authority to decide once and for all how to spell analyze (as opposed to analyse).

But, as much as an English Academy would certainly simplify all things grammar and spelling, in the end I think the drawbacks out way the advantages. One of the big differences between French and English is that unlike French, English arose as a language of the people. Although it is currently evolving at a faster pace than ever before, changes in usage are not a 21st century phenomenon, as anyone who has read Shakespeare can appreciate. And while this can make life challenging, and although it raises many questions, I believe it creates a much more dynamic and functional language. Even when all the rules are broken--and sometimes especially if they are--we are able to communicate and understand each other. And after all, isn't that the whole point of language anyway?