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On the evolution of English as a written or spoken language.

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Author Topic:   On the evolution of English as a written or spoken language.
bluegenes
Member (Idle past 2506 days)
Posts: 3119
From: U.K.
Joined: 01-24-2007

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Message 8 of 88 (596277)
12-14-2010 7:46 AM 		Reply to: Message 7 by frako
12-14-2010 7:20 AM

frako writes:
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Interestingly English is supposed to be a Germanic language tough it is not very close to other Germanic languages.
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In 1066, England was invaded and conquered by the Norman French. Over the next few centuries the Germanic base, which had arrived with post-Roman Empire Germanic tribes, mixed with the French. So, we have a bastard language with a mixture of Germanic and Latin roots.
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So, your view that English is not very Germanic is partly true. Well done!
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bluegenes
Member (Idle past 2506 days)
Posts: 3119
From: U.K.
Joined: 01-24-2007

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Message 12 of 88 (596296)
12-14-2010 9:35 AM 		Reply to: Message 9 by Parasomnium
12-14-2010 9:03 AM

Re: The large English vocabulary
Parasomnium writes:
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So for a great many concepts there exist at least two words in English: a word with an Anglo-Saxon root, and one with a Latin root. The anglicized Latin words are often the posher ones.
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It was a bit like that. The Normans were the ruling class. That invasion (French example, like all "ion" ending words) is the reason (French) we have so many alternatives (French).
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Edited by bluegenes, : capitalized "french" for arachnophilia.
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