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Four Thought

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Series of thought-provoking talks on topics that affect culture and society.

Series of thought-provoking talks in which the speakers air their thinking on the trends, ideas, interests and passions that affect culture and society

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Four Thought: Series 4

Four Thought: Series 4: Episode 23: Language Is Power

Language Is Power

Episode 23

Episode 23: Language Is Power

Series 4

BBC Radio 4 - Four Thought, Series 4, Language Is Power

Lindsay Johns says language is power, and makes the case for speaking English properly.

Author and broadcaster Lindsay Johns argues that language is power, and makes the case for speaking English properly.

Lindsay, who has mentored young people in Peckham, south London, for years, believes that street slang and what he calls 'ghetto grammar' disempower and limit the life chances of those who speak it.

And he says that those who make excuses for this language, or argue that it is good for young people, are really just encouraging them to ostracize themselves even further from mainstream society.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

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Episode 23: Language Is Power

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