Working in web3 as an editor for a decentralized publishing house is an interesting experience. Having a hand in governance and operations is challenging, but very very cool. The real fun for me, however, is engaging with incredibly sharp individuals around the idiosyncratic nature of the English language.
I work in an organization that is international, and the publishing house accepts article submissions from the broader organization. This leads to interesting conversations among the editorial staff with regard to regional differences in the writing and how to address those. Furthermore, given that web3 is continually growing as adoption increases, we’re met regularly with new terms and phrases. One of the biggest challenges is determining how to address these regional differences and newly minted terms and phrases in a way that allows us to publish content that is consistent across all of our channels while preserving the voices of the authors.
It’s an exercise in inclusion and clarity.
It’s also an exercise in coming to terms with the eccentricity of English.
English has very little vocabulary that can be claimed as proprietary English, apart from slang. Most English words have etymology that can fill a missionary tract. Some words have etymology that spawn whole books (Holy Sh*t, anyone?). And many of these words find their origin in other languages. As James D Nicoll once wrote,
"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
Furthermore, English has no real rules when it comes to grammar. Grammar rules abound, but they’re more guidelines than anything and constantly broken. “Ough” has absolutely zero consistency. Why doesn’t rough rhyme with though?
Because English, motherfucker.
I tweeted once that “There are no rules. There is only arbitrary enforcement.” English is about as arbitrary a language as any could exist. Which cracks me up when during Pulp Fiction Jules and Vincent heckle the fuck out of Brett as he stutters his way through that very intense interrogation. “English, motherfucker, do you speak it?” shouts Jules at one point.
Great question Jules. Does anyone?
Honestly, Jules, I don’t think anyone really speaks English. Either everyone speaks English or no one does and we all just speak something adjacent to what’s supposed to be English and just call it that, and my money’s on the latter.
