I saw a recent article that said that according to one language watcher, English is getting close to having a million official words. There is some debate, of course, including from people of Oxford English Dictionary. One of the factors of language change that is especially significant in our time, though ignored in this article, is the rapid advances in technology. But in the rush to give an innovative name or verb to everything, let’s not forget English’s old town charm.

A typical characteristic of large cities is the growth outward from the center into suburbs. The center, of course, is the location of original settlement. If cared for, this original core of the city can preserve its history and attraction, but many times it falls into disuse as the population continues to move away. Technology has brought a similar effect on English. As unique and exciting things are invented, new words are created, and they become part of the mainstream language in a matter of a few years. That’s where the attention is, so that is where the locals and the visitors go.

Linguists don’t agree on the size of the average native English speaker’s active vocabulary, so estimates range between 20,000 and 50,000 words. At any rate, the concept of an active vocabulary implies that as a person learns and starts using the latest technical lingo, those words will probably displace other words within that active range. (You talk only so much during a typical day.) As a result, the active vocabulary range slowly migrates away from the core.

As we move into the suburbs of the English language, let’s not forget the charm of the original city. In our excitement to be using the newest lingo, let’s keep visiting and exploring the classic and beautiful aspects of our language and therefore keep it alive.

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