The media never rest. Their various modes are in perpetual circulation. Consulted,

scanned and read in every country and on every continent, they are a

vital means of communication in the modern world. Sometimes criticized or

even abused, they are also refreshed and renewed as they accomplish multiple

tasks.

Yes those who rely on the media should be aware of their changing character.

They must learn to ride the tiger of these fascinating changes. More and

more various modes emerge each year.

The essays in this book are a user’s manual. They trace the evolution of

modern media emerging in new places with new purposes. These essays span

the world. They are in English, though, as some point out, English is not the

inevitable language of the global future.

Yet reading these essays, I am left with a sense of awe. In this collection we

read of the struggle to embrace both journalistic brevity and professional verbosity.

We hear about the role of spin doctors, bureaucrats, chat-show hosts,

emailers, wine writers, marriage counsellors and political cirumlocutors.We

hear how people inform one another and talk to each other, via the media.

The media do more than nurture and guard diversity.They are guardians of

tolerance itself.

Jean Aitchison is Rupert Murdoch Professor of Language and Communication

at the University of Oxford. Her publications include Words in the Mind:An

Introduction to the Mental Lexicon (3rd edn, 2003), Language Change: Progress or

Decay? (3rd edn, 2001) and The Articulate Mammal (Routledge, 4th edn, 1998).

Diana M. Lewis is a research assistant in the Faculty of English Language and

Literature at the University of Oxford. She has published research on language

change and variation.