Chris Addison explores the links between modern-day text-speak and the language of the 18th-century literary enlightenment. He examines the expressive elements of text language, or “textese”, and how it can be seen to echo a ludic art form that became popular in the Romantic era, via insights found in the letters of Jonathan Swift and later works by Lewis Carroll and James Joyce.
The programme will be broadcast on March 10, Radio 4 at 11.30am and will feature contributions from Will Self and Ian Rankin, the poet Scott Tyrell and professors Jeremy Tambling, John Sutherland and David Crystal.