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Thank you JFR, I always enjoy any knowledge about the evolution of language, even the rude and crude.
My take on English is that it is one of the easiest languages to evolve and thus the hardest to learn. How does someone go about absorbing the nuances of slang that creep into both the English and American forms of the language? Worse I suppose are the English dialects spoken in Scotland or Australia. (A nod to Kiwi here, NZ is just as confusing)
Each to their own, it is still considered a common language we all share. In some ways I am happy to be an English speaker, there are many other languages that would seem to tie my tongue in knots. I take for example German which I attempted to learn in college since we had to take a foreign language.
I don't know how the Germans do it, such a gutteral language, it hurt my throat. I also mistrust any language where the objective of what you are trying to say is at the end of a sentence. Come on, we could be here all day!
And don't get me started on those languages which must provide a sex to the words, male and female forms indeed. Doesn't take much of an imagination to see what's on the minds of the French. Does everything have to become sexual? Probably does in France, English doesn't do well over there.
;-D
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
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Chris James, if I give a serious reply to your post it looks as if I haven't seen the funny side of it. On the other hand should I allow misconceptions to prevail?
German tends to be gutteral in the southern dialects, particularly Swiss, but also partially in the Austro-Bavarian dialects. It certainly isn't in the North of Germany. The verb only goes to the end of subordinate clauses. It's the second idea in main clauses.
How would you cope in the Celtic languages (Welsh, Scots & Irish Gaelic, Cornish and Bretonne) where the verb starts the sentence? - the cart before the horse as they say.
In English gender equals sex. In many languages it doesn't and that can be hard to explain in French. La (f) sentinelle = the guard / sentry. Until recently very masculine.
Try Estonian and Finnish - no genders, no sex. And so on.
Hugs
Nigel
I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.
…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.
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Well of course it was meant to be humorous. The worldly hangup over language is hilarious. The French see it as a national treasure, even that's funny. Their absurdity not mine.
I have relatives in Quebec who refuse to speak English. I send them letters in English filled with nonsense just because they don't read them. The whole family thinks they are weird, and they are.
I respect a learned man no matter what language he speaks, but if we cannot communicate I don't see that as my problem. If he wishes to tell me something then he can learn to speak my language or stay home.
Goodness, I am such an asshole....wow, I must be part French. 
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
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Re: Improve Your Vocabulary 
Re: Improve Your Vocabulary 
