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Maybe the greatest success and failing of English is that it has never undergone the rigour of standardisation of many other languages. While most other world l
by twelvechairs 8y ago
Maybe the greatest success and failing of English is that it has never undergone the rigour of standardisation of many other languages. While most other world languages have all at times had a central authority dictating what is right or wrong, English has a history of pluralism (particularly from American vs. British English, but also from other sides). This makes for difficulties (regional variation, different pronunciations, etc.) but I think easier to approach as an outsider, and also flexible to changing use over time.
- colechristensen 8y agoIt wouldn't, couldn't go through standardization like that. The article misses emphasizing or properly mention English's success started not in conquering but overcoming conquerors. It's hard to think of English as having a single source, as what remains of that gets very small as you go back in time. The language in England and thereabouts overcame several invasions. Roman, Viking, a couple of invasions you'd call French now, among others... they all left their mark, or more accurately the native population absorbed a sizable portion of the invaders' language and established and re-established the dominance of the English language in the area. If you take a beginners' course in French you'll probably get the line that English is 60% French, badly pronounced and it's true! (more or less) It would sure be hard to standardize something that has a habit of repeatedly bolting on large chunks of other languages, nevermind it's modern regional inconsistencies.