Keeping up with changing English usage

“Every professional language user should be aware of current usage options and changing conventions.”

-- Professor Mike Hannay, VU Amsterdam

“English is a first language for many different language communities across the world and is changing all the time. So many people use English for so many different purposes every day that it is not at all surprising that at any one point in time there is massive linguistic variation. Indeed, ‘Englishes’ rather than ‘English’ is the name of the game, and anyone responsible for preparing English texts ready for publication needs to be aware of this variation in usage, so as to be able to make appropriate decisions and produce stylistically balanced texts which are fit for purpose. Often, however, people are uncertain and conflicting stories abound.

“At the same time, there are also matters of usage that seem to be a perennial source of contention. They may relate to opinions about what is correct and not correct, in whatever form of the language, or they may relate to what is considered stylistically preferable, in terms of readability. What are these issues, and is it really clear what is correct and incorrect, and what is good?”

These are the topics that Mike Hannay will be addressing in his one-day course on March 9, 2012 for which registration is now open. Apart from looking in detail at specific usage issues (based in part on your own experience and suggestions), Mike will also be examining how translators and editors can best deal with matters of language variation. The venue is Regardz Eenhoorn Amersfoort. The course lasts from 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and qualifies for 6 PE points. The usual early-bird discount of €50 applies (until February 13).

Please see http://www.teamwork-vertaalworkshops.nl/events/evenement.php?id=43 for full information.