Off-my-usual beat, but ... 1/x
You may have seen this story, now rattling around conservative media. 2/x
https://twitter.com/Not_the_Bee/status/1317214084153155585
Political correctness run amok! But then ... think about it a little. 3/x
Nigeria's most famous writers, including 1986 Nobelist Wole Soyinka, write in English. Vikram Seth and many Indian artists write in English. Afrikaner-born JM Coetzee writes in English. James Joyce wrote in English, as did of course almost all American writers ... 4/x
More than any other language, English is a world language for many cultures, not the language of a culture. 5/x
Which means that "Department of Literature in English" is not only a more polite name, but also a much more *accurate* name, than "Department of English Literature." 6/x
A point stressed in the underlying Cornell U student newspaper article that inspired the right-wing outrage article. 7/x cornellsun.com/2020/10/14/eng… 
It's good advice not to take offense at every little thing! Especially every poorly considered little thing!
That advice needs to be followed, though, not only by progressive challengers to existing ways, but also conservative defenders of existing ways.
8/x
That advice needs to be followed, though, not only by progressive challengers to existing ways, but also conservative defenders of existing ways.
8/x
Americans of all people should understand why "Literature in English" is better than "English literature." Remember that one of the most famous scenes in Huckleberry Finn is the mangling of Shakespeare by two con men? Twain was telling you: English is the world's now! - END -
Final PS
I notice that Indian-born speakers of English are often more likely to preserve correctly formalities like the English-language subjunctive than are English-born or American-born speakers of English ...
I notice that Indian-born speakers of English are often more likely to preserve correctly formalities like the English-language subjunctive than are English-born or American-born speakers of English ...
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