EIBF: Hairspray and the Globish Phenomenon

Friday, 27 August 2010

 The last weekend of the Edinburgh Book Festival had an air of tranquility to it, as the good weather was waning, and the bookshelves were looking uncharacteristically depleted. Nonetheless, endless queues round the pathways prevailed, and the buzz perpetuated through the day.

My first event was Robert McCrum, author of six novels, and former literary editor and then associate editor of the Observer. With beige chinos, light blue shirt, and floppy hair, McCrum was the quintessentially charming public school boy, all grown up.

The concept he introduced to the audience was one of “Globish”– the topic of his latest book, Globish: How the English Language Became the World’s Language. Deemed a linguistic phenomenon that’s sweeping the world, McCrum off-handedly pointed out that it’s actually “a statement of the bleeding obvious”.

Globish is the way in which the international community communicates with each other across linguistic barriers. It is a simplified version of English, which is entirely intelligible to non-native speakers. It isn’t, however, simplistic, as McCrum was quick to clarify. It does not prevent its users from dealing with remarkably complex concepts – according to McCrum, Obama’s speeches are a classic example of the use of Globish. In fact, Obama, with his hybrid upbringing, is the epitome of Globish.

Indeed, Globish has taken on a life of its own, and is conquering the world at inconceivable speed, through the internet and international trade. Asked what it would take to stop its spread, McCrum could envisage nothing less that a global nuclear calamity, or a complete end to global capitalism.

But this is not to say that mother tongues will ever fade away – “this is not an end to Babel”, McCrum explains, pointing out that people are far too attached to their culture, of which language is inevitably a part. Globish will merely exist alongside this as a means of enabling global communication.

 McCrum himself lost the ability to speak in 1995 when he suffered a stroke. His condition was severely debilitating for the most part of three years – a difficult and painful experience. It was partly then where he recognized the significance of communication. Orwell is one of McCrum’s heroes, and the concept of Globish stems from the importance of communicating in clear, simple, and intelligible language.

My next event could not have been more different. The iconic hairstylist, Vidal Sassoon, was looking terrifically dapper in his exquisite black suit, black scarf, and black thick-rimmed glasses.

With a vast array of kooky hairstyles, and hordes of hero-worshipping hairdressers in the audience, Sassoon had everyone completely captivated. Witty, charming, wise, humble, sexy – there were no limits to his allure.

Sassoon’s autobiography is a rags to riches story, which is almost too cliché to be true. But true it is, as he was abandoned as a baby by his father, and then by his destitute mother at the age of five. Brought up in an orphanage, he claimed it was his first home with a bath. Born in 1928, his family suffered dreadfully through the Great Depression, so he understands his mother’s awful predicament.

The young Sassoon, given the opportunity, would have embarked on a career as an architect. But, after being given a job in a salon, he was quick to rise to prominence with his charm (which helped with roping in investors like Ozzy and Polanski), and talent. It was hard work, he insists.

Sassoon is widely credited for liberating women through hairstyle, and he really did make it sound like a noble pursuit as he described it as both a high form of art, as well as instilling in women a sense of confidence and self-belief.

But my favourite Sassoon quote of the night was undoubtedly his comments on love. Sassoon alluded cheekily to his many encounters with women, and confessed to booking in beautiful women for haircuts, simply to sleep with them. But in a moment of sincerity, Sassoon pronounced: “Love is fascination. If you can keep that going, then you’re still in love.”