. . . continued from Hot News The academic and practical usage debates about the word "alright" and the phrase "all right" have been ebbing and flowing since the late 19th century, initially in Great Britain, subsequently in the United States and Canada. Tepid arguments for and against leave no doubt in my mind that both the Oxford English Dictionary's acceptance of the word, the Random House Dictionary's acceptance of the word, and acceptance of the word by more and more book, magazine and electronic publications editors is a perfectly natural step forward in the evolution of American English. Many editors are also progressively restricting and emphasizing the meaning of "alright" to be any of "well" and "okay", while also emphasizing that "all right" be restricted to meanings such as "all correct" and so on. Don't tell that to the phalanx of writers working for the New York Times who are inextricably tied to the newspaper's highly respected manual of style. For literary uses of "alright" try James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and a raft of other highly regarded authors, all of whom have contributed positively to the language and to literature. A famous quote using the word "alright": "Alright it is to be to him attentive, young Paduan. Irked not should you be!" -Yoda (sorry, I made this one up). But an enormous number of screen/script writers use "alright" and "all right" distinctively for clarity of meaning in full knowledge of the fact that manuscripts are read mainly by people other than editors. Potential producers for example, are concerned with story arcs, marketability and so on, rather than the degree to which the writer has strictly adhered to the language rules extant.

The point is that they like Shakespeare. Their expressions are clearly spelled and they embrace a freely growing and acceptable distinction between "alright" and "all right". Smart editors like to test the waters and gradually evolve . . .

As well, and poltroons though they may be (sic), the 'mob' will always shout "Shakespeare is alright!" intending to emphasize that the Bard is okay with them. The mob will never shout "Shakespeare is all right!" because they were taught in school that the great writer was not always correct. Get it? The point is that they like Shakespeare. Their expressions are clearly spelled and they embrace a freely growing and acceptable distinction between "alright" and "all right". Smart editors like to test the waters and gradually evolve (or merely change) a few steps behind the mob because smart editors also understand clearly that communication with the written word goes hand in hand with comprehension by readers. That is not to say that I advocate jumping on every colloquial band wagon that rolls by—far from it. Smart editors, writers and readers must emphatically remain slightly behind the popular curve in order to ensure that they're not embracing inconsequential fads.

On the practical side of things, I think that popular music ("The Kids are Alright" -The Who) and popular literature have eschewed the use of "all right" in both written composition and published works with respect to both intent and relative meaning. Because I believe that English evolves as a result of both popular and academic processes, I embrace the separate popular meanings of "alright" and "all right" for informal usage, but still restrict myself to the use of "all right" when writing formally for business and personal reasons.

I hasten to point out that both "alright" and "all right" are acceptable in British usage, albeit not completely interchangeable. The debate is primarily an American one, something which you should find hysterically funny considering the wealth of so-called Americanisms which have served to rapidly modify popular English world wide. On that basis alone, my feeling is that the debate about "alright" causes barely a ripple amongst the epochal changes occurring in the language. Though some people find it irksome to hear or read this, let it be stated clearly that the Internet is not strictly an American English medium. Kickstartnews, being an Internet publication, is by definition international in scope and readership. The English in use editorially on Kickstartnews is international in nature, adheres to American English spelling standards, and includes the qualified use of "alright" and "all right".

I think that the most urgent focus by all dedicated writers and editors should be turned toward Microsoft, Adobe, W3C, Sun, Yahoo!, Google, eBay (and some other multinational, U.S.-based companies) and the major computing periodicals (electronic and printed). With the creeping pervasiveness of the personal computing revolution now making itself felt in many parts of even the most technologically bereft nations, introduction of English as a vibrant and evolving language is often made by those farthest removed from the traditional rules of usage. As an editor and writer therefore, I am suggesting that we focus our attention on the most robust and active vehicles for distribution of language changes while at the same time recognizing changes or evolution in usage which are considerately valid. Kickstartnews maintains a respectable editorial standard. Some would even say it's alright. But I like to think we've got it all right.

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