The English Project promotes awareness and understanding of the unfolding global story of the English language in all its varieties – past, present and future. We try to present ideas about English in an intelligent, entertaining, inclusive and interactive way. Our hope is that a greater understanding and enjoyment of English can enrich people’s lives and enable them to make more of the exceptional cultural and communications phenomenon which English has become. We intend to reach a broadly-based audience, globally, socially, ethnically and by age amongst English’s two billion speakers worldwide (that’s as a first or second language).
The English Project is a registered charity developing a programme of activities and projects. These will evolve over time and as opportunity presents. We use a variety of media – exhibitions (permanent, temporary and travelling), books, websites, broadcasting, discussions, debates, surveys and educational initiatives – to bring the stories of English alive.
Our long-term flagship project is the creation of a visitor attraction devoted to the English language. Based in Winchester, Hampshire, UK, the centre will have a format that can be replicated and customised globally. The new Centre will tell the stories of Englishes as they evolve globally as well as acting as a stimulus for economic development in the cultural and creative industries in the south of England and wherever in the world similar Centres are built.
Professor David Crystal OBE, FBA, FLSW, FCIL is recognised throughout the world as the greatest authority on the English language. He is a writer, editor, lecturer and broadcaster and has published well over a hundred books on the history and development of English.
Bill is a best-selling author who has also founded and led two national organisations, Learning through Landscapes and the Campaign for Learning. He is currently Chairman of the UK’s Talent Foundation, a non-executive director of The Live Group plc and the Co-Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning. Bill is co-author, with Edward Fennell, of Kitchen Table Lingo, and chairs the English Project’s Steering Group.
Christopher is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Winchester, and the recipient of awards from the Arts and Humanities Council, the British Academy, and the University of Virginia. He was President of the Collegium for African American Research from 2003 to 2007 and has numerous books to his credit. He is Managing Editor of the Winchester University Press.
Nick is an award-winning innovator of media technologies, having founded over 20 major European technology consortia and managed R&D and international standarisation for the entire UK commercial TV sector. More recently he was chief executive of a hi-tech university spin-out company and today he runs his own successful consultancy. Nick is a fellow of the Institution of Engineering & Technology and of the Royal Television Society.
Marcus is Course Manager for English Language at Richard Huish College, Somerset. A barrister, entrepreneur and perpetual student of the English language, Marcus is a post-graduate of Exeter and Southampton universities and is currently working towards his PhD in neology at Bristol. He was elected to South Somerset District Council in 2015. Marcus has published articles on language and local history.
The English Project, launched the world’s first English Language Day in 2009 to mark the first occasion on which English was used in Parliament and to raise awareness of the estimated 7,000 varieties of English spoken in 100 countries worldwide.
This first Parliamentary speech in English, rather than in French, was made on 13th October 1362. In the same Parliament, a Statute of Pleading was approved that also permitted debate and law-making in English.
