The Economist recently held one of its Oxford-style debates on the topic “This house believes that the English-speaking world should adopt American English.” It was a really interesting and lively debate, although we have to say we are definitely on the side of the 70% that ‘won’! Take a look here but be warned – you might lose a couple of hours in it as there is lots to explore.

.

This is how the magazine introduced the debate:

.

More than 1 billion people are believed to speak some form of English. For every native speaker there are at least three non-native speakers. English has become the universal language of business and commerce. Jacques Chirac, a former president of France, famously walked out of a 2006 EU meeting because someone, a fellow Frenchman, insisted on speaking English “because that is the language of business”. English, it seems, has even invaded football pitches. The Brazilian referee for the recent England-United States match at the FIFA World Cup reportedly studied a lexicon of English-language obscenities.

.

With so many people using English, we wonder whether it is time to streamline English spelling. Might it make communication easier? Would it help avoid confusion? The Australians, rather maddeningly, spell “labour” as the British do, but their Labor Party is spelt without a “u”. Should the world adopt American English or British English? “Center” or “centre”? “Favorite” or “favourite”? “Defense” and “offense” or “defence” and “offence”?

.