David Crystal is a British linguist, author, and academic. He is known for his work on the English language, in particular its usage in digital media and the decline of language standards.
David Crystal is a British linguist, author, and academic. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the English language and has written and edited over 120 books on the subject. He is a professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor, and is a patron of the UK-based charity, the Plain English Campaign.
Crystal was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland in 1941. He studied English language and literature at University College London, and then went on to pursue a PhD in linguistics at the Reading'>University of Reading. He has since held various academic positions, including professor of linguistics at the Reading'>University of Reading, professor of linguistics at Bangor University, and honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales.
Crystal is best known for his work on the English language, particularly his books The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (1995) and The Stories of English (2004). He has also written extensively on the history of English, the development of English as a global language, and the use of English in the digital age. He is a frequent contributor to radio and television programs, and has written for newspapers and magazines.
Crystal is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Royal Society of Literature. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from the universities of Reading, York, and East Anglia, and was made an OBE in 1995 for services to the English language. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Oxford English Dictionary, and is a patron of the Plain English Campaign.