Why do people join hi-fi forums

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

The history of English is fascinating. Original English (Angleish) was based on Germanic tribal languages from the Anglo Saxon invasions, ancient Celtic British from before that is now only spoken in Wales and Cornwall. Then the Norman invasion brought French as the official language, and the class structure was established, upper class spoke French, the peasants and serfs spoke Anglo Saxon. Over centuries the two have merged which is why we have two words often for the same thing, one from the Germanic root and one from the Latin / French root. Example - King comes from Germanic, Royal comes from French. So English is truly a bastard language from many sources, as well as German and French we have Nordic from the Vikings, and Greek and Italian from the Renaissance. *Peoples* language is always a moving feast and English is very different now to 100 years ago. The French have a different attitude, it is part of culture so they try to keep it, but are failing as American English and English English words pollute (in official minds) the purity and poetic nature of traditional French.

It has been said that French is the language of the poet and lover, where as English has become the language of business.

Sad isn't it but I really do find this fascinating

[joe]

Well the well known phrase is, "opinions are like arseholes, we all have one". I am not sure this is a good analogy, it implies to have an opinion is wrong or at least smelly. I prefer "opinions are like brains, we all *should* have one".

Well, of course the full saying is 'opinions are like arseholes; everyone has one, and most of them stink'. I like the anecdote of the company boss listening to his staff endlessly debating whether to adopt a particular strategy. Eventually he intervened with: 'If we have data, let's see the data. If all we have are opinions, let's go with mine'.

[joe]

It has been said that French is the language of the poet and lover, where as English has become the language of business.

Pah! We produced Shakespeare, so we win over every other language, for ever.

[Macca]

It has been said that French is the language of the poet and lover, where as English has become the language of business.

Pah! We produced Shakespeare, so we win over every other language, for ever.

Only because our million monkeys on a million typewriters started before everyone else's did....

[musique!]

Here are the best history explainations about our two nations !

[guydarryl]

[quote="Dr Bunsen Honeydew"]Then the Norman invasion brought French as the official language, and the class structure was established, upper class spoke French, the peasants and serfs spoke Anglo Saxon. ...............

quote]

This ties in with what I was told many years ago, that most of our "swear words"/descriptions of bodily functions come from Anglo Saxon/Germanic roots.

[wallace]

So why does my wife say "pardon my French" when she swears.....

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

It has been said that French is the language of the poet and lover, where as English has become the language of business.

Pah! We produced Shakespeare, so we win over every other language, for ever.

And the English of Chaucer, just try and read it and understand it. You wont!

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Then the Norman invasion brought French as the official language, and the class structure was established, upper class spoke French, the peasants and serfs spoke Anglo Saxon. ...............

quote]

This ties in with what I was told many years ago, that most of our "swear words"/descriptions of bodily functions come from Anglo Saxon/Germanic roots.

Merde sound much more smelly than shit

[SteveTheShadow]

It has been said that French is the language of the poet and lover, where as English has become the language of business.

Pah! We produced Shakespeare, so we win over every other language, for ever.

And the English of Chaucer, just try and read it and understand it. You wont!

If you read Chaucer's middle English out loud with the correct pronunciation you end up sounding like a Geordie.
I did Chaucer at A level and at college. It was fun.