Why does the writer think that it’s not difficult to write about what constitutes correct English?
He thinks it’s relatively easy to do with the help of the Oxford English Dictionary and some reputable grammar books by way of research.
How did the writer get a clear understanding of how English had imported words from other languages?
By having studied French, Latin and Greek
What did studying English at the university force him to focus intently on?
Studying English at the university forced him to focus on what words actually meant.
According to the writer, should the English language be considered something permanent?
No, it shouldn’t. History has shown that the meaning of words and the framework of grammar has shifted over the centuries.
To what standards does the writer hope Strictly English is looking?
He hopes Strictly English describes the pattern of language that was logical and free from ambiguity, a standard set by learned men who contributed to the OED.
Why is it hard for lay people to understand some official documents?
Because these documents have to be written in a language that combines avoidance of the politically incorrect with constant use of the contemporary jargon of th
Why does the writer mean when he says “ Some academics are bilingual”?
They can write both academic English for learned journals and reasonably plain English that can be understood by the general public.
What does the author think is the ideal writing style?
The one that is intelligible to any intelligent person.
According to the writer, what might discourage academics from that “repetitous, long-winded, abstract and abstruse style of writing”
They might be discouraged from writing in such a way if what is considered acceptable within their disciplines changes.
According to the writer, what contributes to the spread of the style of language found in academic journals?
The advent of the Internet
