Old words with new meanings

One such is "woke", which Britain's political right denounces as a battering ram that will destroy the ramparts of social orthodoxy

Topics
English | England | Britain

Sunanda K Datta-Ray 

Sunanda K Datta-Ray

A word often defines an age. While World War II popularised “spiv” (a flashy dresser living on black market dealings), the current crisis — as much a global struggle for survival as any clash of arms — has enriched the English language by investing old words with new meanings.

One such is “woke”, which Britain’s political right denounces as a battering ram that will destroy the ramparts of social orthodoxy. Not that London, where I have been marooned these past three months, betrays any sign of the linguistic revolution grinding away under the ...

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First Published: Thu, January 14 2021. 22:48 IST
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