David Graddol
David Graddol (1953 – 1 March 2019) was a British linguist[1] who worked in applied linguistics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and history of linguistics. He died on 1 March 2019.[2]
David Graddol | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 United Kingdom |
| Died | 1 March 2019 (aged 65–66) |
| Notable work | The Future of English? (1997) |
| School | Linguistics |
Research interest
He was perhaps best known for his 1997 book The Future of English?, published by the British Council, in which he offers scenarios for how English as a world language may develop. Most notably, he pointed out that native speakers of English were or would soon be outnumbered by those who speak English as a second or foreign language. In an article that focuses more specifically on this issue, he stated the following:
The decline of the native speaker in numerical terms is likely to be associated with changing ideas about the centrality of the native speaker to norms of usage. [...] Large numbers of people will learn English as a foreign language in the 21st century and they will need teachers, dictionaries and grammar books. But will they continue to look towards the native speaker for authoritative norms of usage?
— "The decline of the native speaker", pages 67–68
Graddol's views about English as a world language are similar to, though not identical with, those held by his linguist colleague David Crystal.
Career
Graddol graduated from the University of York with a BA in Language and Linguistics in 1975, also in Sociology in 1983.[3] He earned his PhD from the University of Stockholm.
Personal life
He married Margaret Keeton and they had triplet daughters.
References
- Graddol, David (20 April 2005). "Spoken everywhere but at what cost?". The Guardian.
- "David Graddol RIP - BAAL".
- "The Future of English". Grapevine. Alumni Office, University of York (Spring/Summer 1998): 20.
Works (selected)
- Graddol, David (1997). The Future of English? A guide to forecasting the popularity of the English language in the 21st century. London: British Council. Available for free from the website of the British Council.
- Graddol, David (1999). The decline of the native speaker. In Graddol, David/Meinhof, Ulrike (eds). English in a Changing World. AILA Review 13, 57–68.
- Graddol, David (2006). English Next. London: British Council. Available for free from the website of the British Council.