Dr Howard Manns – The Australian National Dictionary

For nearly four decades, the Australian National Dictionary Centre at ANU has carefully documented the words and expressions that make Australian English unique, from everyday slang to the many contributions of Indigenous languages.

But now, ANU has announced plans to close the Centre as part of cost-cutting measures. To help us understand what’s at stake, we’re joined by DR. Howard Manns, a linguist and senior lecturer at Monash University, and co-author of a recent article in The Conversation on this issue. He argues that dismantling the Centre isn’t just about cutting a program, it risks silencing an important part of our national story.

DR Howard Manns joined On the Record’s Fiona Bartholomaeus to further discuss why the Australian National Dictionary matters, what we lose if it disappears, and how language reflects the very identity of Australia.