I’m sure I’m not alone in noticing an uncanny sameness in texts from student writing to advertising copy to colleagues’ emails. It feels like our linguistic landscape is being quietly levelled.
A thought-provoking UNESCO-featured article by Aristotelis Paschalidis puts a name to this phenomenon: “the great linguistic flattening”. This isn’t a standard research paper but a powerful linguistic analysis. It argues that AI language models, trained on colossal amounts of text, develop an ingrained preference for certain words & sentence structures. This creates a “Default Approach” – a gravitational pull towards standardised, middle-of-the-road language.
The concern extends far beyond style. This homogenising force has tangible effects. In all forms of writing, a blend of human & machine text is becoming commonplace, risking a dilution of the writer’s authentic voice.
More critically for us, if this flattened language seeps into education through AI-assisted teaching materials, it could stunt the development of student expression. If learners aren’t exposed to a rich tapestry of words in their educational environment, their own linguistic & cognitive growth may be limited.
There’s a fascinating counter-argument, however. Smaller languages, with less digital presence & stronger communities of native speakers, might better resist this pressure. The real danger isn’t an overt language police, but a slow, passive erosion of vocabulary, where nuanced words & the complex ideas they represent simply fade from memory.
Teacher Takeaways?
- Critique the Machine: Use AI-generated texts as a tool for critical analysis. Ask students to identify overused terms & brainstorm more vivid or precise alternatives.
- Champion Creative Chaos: Design tasks that demand unique, unpredictable language. Think role-plays with emotional depth or projects solving open-ended, real-world problems.
- Be the Linguistic Model: Consciously use a diverse & sophisticated lexicon in your own classroom talk. Your voice is a primary source of linguistic inspiration.
As we navigate this new terrain, it’s worth asking ourselves: are we equipping students with a rich, personal voice, or merely a key to the most common denominator?
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