Who’s to say that um, like… the use of ‘um’ and ‘like’ and the like isn’t making the language gooder?

The language is goin to evolve whether your like it or not. Let people speak as they will, just so long as it isn’t too overtly and gratuitously offensive.

We don’t want to demand that everyone speak prim proper Queen’s English all the time. That would be dangerous territory, where all those that don’t might get thought of very poorly and placed at a distinct disadvantage.

We do want to be broadly accepting of people, no matter how well or poorly or differently they may speak. Don’t we?

Ian, you ask, "So if people, like, from other nations, can, like, use English correctly as a second language, or others in our society can, like, speak clearly and coherently, like, what's wrong with trying to say it gooder?"

I am not so demanding and would accept the good faith of people who constantly attempt to improve their competence in speaking English betterer.

Ludwig

I would have thought that most people would want to try and express themselves in an articulate way rather than sink to the lowest common denominator. That is not to say that lack of education precludes them from society, but there seems little attempt by schools now to emphasise that a good quality of speech should be important. I get the impression that even the teachers of English have little grasp of grammar and why the standard of English is now so poor.

There seems to be an anti-culture climate these days when to speak & write well is considered to be elitist or superior. Unfortunately Australia has a tradition of such culture.

My favourite was NSW State Rail --or whatever they are known by this month-- putting someone with a treacle thick accent on their public address system. No doubt it earned them a lot of kudos for diversity.

SPQR, yes you are right there.
We should have an original Australian accent on all our PR systems...any of the Aboriginal languages.

@Susie,

<<We should have ...any of the Aboriginal languages>>

But which one Susie? Because there is no single Aboriginal language --just as there was no single aboriginal nation.

My point was, you do not sacrifice efficiency for progressives games like diversity!