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Philip Seargeantr

Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The Open University

Philip Seargeant is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the Open University. He has published extensively on topics from language and social media, to English around the world, to language and creativity.

His publications include 'The idea of English in Japan' (2009), 'Exploring World Englishes' (2012), and 'From Language to Creative Writing' (with Bill Greenwell, 2013), and the edited collections 'English in Japan in the Era of Globalization' (2011, Palgrave Macmillan), 'English in the World: history, diversity, change' (with Joan Swann, 2012), 'English and development' (with Elizabeth J. Erling, 2013), 'Futures for English Studies' (with Ann Hewings and Lynda Prescott, 2016), and 'Creativity in language: From everyday style to verbal art' (with Zsofia Demjen, 2016).

How AI threatens free speech – and what must be done about it

Jan 19, 2024 10:08 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Headlines about the threats of artificial intelligence (AI) tend to be full of killer robots, or fears that when theyre not on killing sprees, these same robots will be hoovering up human jobs. But a serious danger which...

From Z to Q: when letters become political symbols

Mar 23, 2022 13:38 pm UTC| Politics

Painted on the side of tanks and emblazoned on the shirt of Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, the letter Z has come to represent support for Russias invasion of Ukraine. It has even been incorporated into the spelling of place...

The real reason you can't quit Facebook? Maybe it's because you can judge your friends

Jul 12, 2017 19:02 pm UTC| Technology

Facebook recently announced that it now has over 2 billion monthly users. This makes its population larger than that of China, the US, Mexico and Japan combined. Its popularity, and with it the influence it has in society,...

Truthiness and alternative facts: meaning is a moveable feast

Jan 28, 2017 06:18 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Sales of George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four have apparently surged since Kellyanne Conway introduced the phrase alternative facts into public discourse. For many, the term is reminiscent of Orwells dystopian Newspeak,...

Why Tolkien's fantastic imaginary languages have had more impact than Esperanto

Jan 11, 2017 17:44 pm UTC| Life

A hundred years ago this month, JRR Tolkien began writing The Fall of Gondolin while on medical leave from the war. This is the first story in what would become his legendarium the mythology that underpins The Lord of the...

US Election Series

The filter bubble isn't just Facebook's fault -- it's yours

Dec 06, 2016 07:43 am UTC| Technology Politics

Following the shock results of Brexit and the Trump victory, a lot of attention has focused on the role that Facebook might have played in creating online political ghettos in which false news can easily spread. Facebook...

Economy

States Sue Trump: 25 Challenge "Unconstitutional" Tariffs on 60 Countries in High-Stakes Trade Clash

Twenty-five American states have challenged the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade, claiming the new tariffs on imports from 60 countries are unconstitutional and beyond presidential authority....

India Plans Tax Reforms to Boost Foreign Investment and Manufacturing

Indias government is preparing a new package of tax reforms designed to attract foreign investment and strengthen the countrys manufacturing sector, according to a Bloomberg News report citing people familiar with the...

Japan Economy Minister Downplays Inflation Risks Despite BOJ Warning

Japans Economy Minister Minoru Kiuchi said consumer price increases remain moderate despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, suggesting that inflationary pressures are still under control even as the Bank...

Asian Currencies Mixed as Yen Retreats, Traders Eye U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Data

Asian currencies traded in mixed fashion on Tuesday as investors remained cautious over conflicting signals surrounding potential U.S.-Iran negotiations, while attention shifted to a busy week of U.S. economic data that...

Asian Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Returns, Australia Hits Record High Ahead of RBI Decision

Asian stock markets traded mostly higher on Tuesday as investors cautiously returned to technology stocks after Julys AI-driven selloff, while Australias strong gains helped offset weakness in Japan and Hong Kong. Improved...

Politics

Trump Urges Exxon, Chevron to Cut Gas Prices After Record Oil Profits

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized ExxonMobil and Chevron for earning massive profits from elevated oil prices, urging the energy giants to lower fuel costs and return some of their gains to American consumers....

Brown University President Christina Paxson to Step Down After Clashes With Trump Administration

Brown University President Christina Paxson announced on Monday that she will step down at the end of the current academic year, concluding a tenure marked by major challenges, including a high-profile dispute with...

US Supreme Court Lets $655.5 Million Judgment Against Palestinian Authorities Stand During Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to temporarily block a $655.5 million judgment against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), allowing the damages award to remain in effect while...

North Korea Rejects U.S. Cyber Threat Claims, Slams Allied Warning

North Korea has dismissed recent accusations by the United States and its allies over alleged cyber activities, calling them politically motivated and aimed at justifying pressure on sovereign nations. According to state...

US State Department Plans to Close Five Foreign Missions in Global Diplomatic Restructuring

The U.S. State Department has informed Congress that it intends to close five overseas diplomatic missions as part of a broader effort to streamline Americas diplomatic network under the Trump administration, according to...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Apple Restores Telegram to App Store After Content Policy Violation

Apple briefly removed Telegram from its App Store after a review found content that violated its App Store guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the company confirmed on Monday. The messaging platform...

SK Hynix Bonus Dispute Deepens as Union Rejects Stock-Based Payout Proposal

SK Hynix and representatives of one of its South Korean labor unions resumed negotiations on Tuesday, holding a fifth round of talks over the semiconductor companys employee bonus structure at its Cheongju manufacturing...

Palantir Stock Soars as AI Demand Drives Strong Q2 Earnings and Higher 2026 Outlook

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) surged in after-hours trading on Monday after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raising its full-year 2026 guidance, fueled by accelerating demand for its...

Vast Eyes Hong Kong IPO as Chinese AI Unicorn Gains Momentum

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Vast is reportedly exploring a potential initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, signaling growing investor interest in Chinas fast-expanding AI sector. According to a Bloomberg...

Telegram Restored on Apple App Store After Temporary Removal

Telegram has confirmed that its messaging app is once again available on Apples App Store after users briefly encountered an unexpected outage that removed the app listing. The company announced on Monday that the issue...