Reform

Abstract

From the sixteenth century onwards there has been no lack of critics writing in praise or dispraise of the English language either in general or on points of detail which happened to interest them. Some of the critics have been well-known men of letters, and such writers may choose to exert an influence by example rather than precept. Swift was one of the most vigorous of the reformers of English, but he has probably exerted more influence by the straightforward simplicity of his own style than by his fulminations against changes that he disliked. If a writer wishes to make more specific criticisms, he can do so by writing essays on linguistic matters or by including digressions in books on other subjects. Readers of novels have learnt to be tolerant of such digressions. Another channel for criticism is provided by characters in novels or plays who comment, usually with scorn, on the language used by others. There is a less direct form of criticism taking the form of the allocation of language which the author thinks foolish to foolish characters without any comment.