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guest_
· 4 years ago
· FIRST
“English” is a pastiche of languages that draws its earliest roots to West Germanic languages brought with the Saxons into areas of Northern Europe. Within the area commonly historically known as “Britain” it was further influenced through Scandinavian language during Viking conquests- with areas of early “English” being under Viking rule and thusly more readily absorbing properties of the language due to many Norwegian languages being related to northern Germanic languages which is of course related to western Germanic languages.
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Edited 4 years ago
guest_
· 4 years ago
The Normans brought French and through many paths elements of Latin were brought. The overall “rules” and inflections of early “English” follow more closely to modern German than modern English despite about 50% of it being made of words in modern use- which is in part why modern English readers find old English unintelligible.
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guest_
· 4 years ago
Anyway- England or its precursors was a primary place where “English” developed and was adopted. The English at one time or another had control and influence over most of the globe- this not only spread English but is a big factor in why the language came to be called English. English picked up many loan words or cues from the many foreign nations England had interaction with, and travelers from these places brought these words to the masses.
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guest_
· 4 years ago
Many of the rules of modern English- especially punctuation and conventions of how to write or print, cake about during the industrial revolution- primarily from influence based on the styles used in London. So....
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guest_
· 4 years ago
Does English come from England...? Sort of? If we were to point to a defining genesis we would say it comes from the Roman Empire. But the name- “English” implies the unique language of England- in which case we would have to point to its genesis in England- in which case it came from Germans with land in what is now England. So that’s a 50/50 there depending on how you slice it. If we say “modern English...” well... modern English was born in England- but it was influenced and shaped around the globe. What we know today as English contains words and concepts from all over the place, and England simply adapted to what English speakers abroad were doing. So also... not definitive.
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guest_
· 4 years ago
Does English come from America? Well... all the same caveats apply to what was previously mentioned- except “American English” is a form of English based on British English but uniquely evolved in America. So.... really either British English isn’t British and American English isn’t American- or the opposite. Both are true or neither is true by the same virtues.
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guest_
· 4 years ago
In the case of the original poster in this meme- they were correct that the person they were speaking to was not from America- and they would be correct that AMERICAN English is a second language to that person- but they either omitted the nuance or they completely forgot about British English. It would seem that the American does not speak British English as a second language (or dialect if you prefer.)
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rosalinas
· 4 years ago
Native to America? What is that supposed to mean? Indian?
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silvermyth
· 4 years ago
I'm glad the original commenter was so nice about it
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iccarus
· 4 years ago
The Oxford dictionary has the original spelling of the English language, when Webster, rewrote the "American" version, he changed what he thought was incorrect.
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Edited 4 years ago
guest_
· 4 years ago
Ah yes. And then the Urban dictionary changed those words it’s thought Webster’s had used poorly, or invented new ones. I kid of course. But I thank you for the factoid. I feel that’s something I should have known but until now strangely did not! So I appreciate the factoid.
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iccarus
· 4 years ago
funfact, which grey/gray is correct? E for English 'grey', A for American "gray"
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