Aitchison's Three Metaphors about Language Change

The Crumbling Castle

The myth that the English language was a once great castle that has crumbled over time.

Aitchison's view on the Crumbling Castle myth

Language is constantly changing and evolving; there is no peak of perfection.

The Damp Spoon

The myth that 'bad English' sticks to lazy people like sugar sticks to a damp spoon.

Aitchison's rebuttal to the Damp Spoon myth

The only lazy speech is drunken speech; speaking quickly isn’t a sign of laziness.

Language change and sloppiness

Sloppiness and laziness cause language change, but this is not considered decay.

Infectious Disease myth

The belief that 'bad English' spreads from person to person like a disease.

Aitchison's stance on the Infectious Disease myth

Language changes are 'caught' and 'spread' because people want to adopt them, not out of control like a disease.