The origins of the English language

Discussion in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' started by sfoclt, Jan 18, 2018.

  1. sfoclt

    sfoclt Friend

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    Nt
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2023
  2. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    Didn't the brits invent english? :)
     
  3. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    I think most of Europe collaborated.
     
  4. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    I lived in the UK for 3 years. I spent most of the time teaching the Brits how to speak and write American... I mean English.
     
  5. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Indeed. We are a mongrel race with a mongrel language. This is why there is no [stereo]typical English (I won't say British here) look.

    But this mongrel language comes with a fantastically complex system of keeping things in order, eg don't mix latin plurals, suffixes, prefixes, with greek words. Which has all gone out od the window now, since it has not been taught for a couple of generations.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2018
  6. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    Yeah, like pencil and paper, innit?
     
  7. sfoclt

    sfoclt Friend

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    That would be like saying the purchaser of a used car who got a paint job and new rims invented the automobile. Ultimately all variations of “English” are just another derivative of Proto-Indo-European.
     
  8. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    sorry, but that's f'ing stupid. (I apologize - that was uncalled for) The brits were speaking English before America was 'discovered' by Europe, albeit a quite different English from what we speak today. English originated in England like French originated in France and Spanish originated in Spain. Sure, there were outside influences and the roots of English come from off the island, but what we know as English is how it all came together in England.

    Then England colonized and many derivations ensued, like "North American English".

    The person who got the used car painted and new rims still has a Ford (assuming the original car was a Ford).
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2018
  9. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    While taught American English, I am fluent in many dialects of techno-gibberish and management mumble.
     
  10. winders

    winders boomer

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    Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?

    Actually, it's not "f'ing stupid". The simple fact is, as @sfoclt points out, that English is derived. It is derived from Anglo-Frisian dialects originating with Teutonic tribes on continental Europe. English is a Germanic language. Saying the Brits "invented" English is like saying Tesla invented the electric car.
     
  11. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    [​IMG]
     
  12. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    That's like saying Jazz isn't American because it has African roots.
     
  13. winders

    winders boomer

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    No. Stop being a dick......
     
  14. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    Good lord, this all started with a simple, supposed to be humorous, comment about "didn't the brits invent English" with a damn smiley face. You people are way too darned serious. lighten up.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2018
  15. winders

    winders boomer

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    That’s funny coming from you. The conversation was quite cordial until you decided to be a dick. Own up to that instead of laying the blame on others.
     
  16. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    I concur, I should not have said "that is f'ing stupid" because I didn't agree with it. I apologize for that. I'm ready to move on and listen to schiit.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    @brencho, @zerodeefex, @ultrabike: clean up on isle 40 please. Someone crashed into the stack of wine bottles and there is a mess on the floor.
     
  18. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    Sorry.
     
  19. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    ???

    I think all is kool.
     
  20. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    I am of the opinion that English isn't really its own language per se, but more of a bully that goes around beating up other languages and taking their lunch money vocabulary and syntax.
     

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