Changing words, changing worlds: English in an age of transformation

What does the future hold for the English language? And how is technology transforming the way we speak, write and connect across borders?

In this episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson explores how digital culture is reshaping the English language, from the rise of internet slang to the impact of AI, social media, and globalisation on how we communicate.

Christine is joined by renowned linguist and author David Crystal, one of the world’s leading experts on the English language. With more than 100 books to his name – including the landmark Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language – David reflects on how English has evolved over centuries, and what its future might look like in an increasingly digital world.

We also hear from César Bizetto, an English teacher, teacher trainer, and academic director based in São Paulo. With over 20 years of classroom experience, César shares how English language instruction has changed in Brazil, and why he believes teaching English is about more than grammar, it’s about opening doors.

Together, David and César explore how English is shifting across contexts, continents, and generations, and what that means for education, culture, and connection.

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Additional Resources & Links:

The Future of English research programme: https://www.britishcouncil.org/future-of-english 

The Future of English: in conversation with David Crystal (March 2025)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64HRT797Lsc 

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