''My heart is broken, sigh.''
by whom?
by whom?
Why do some here wish that English was linguistically pure?
<<There have been people who have tried to create a "pure" English tongue free from foreign elements. William Barnes created a whole new vocabulary with words like starlore for astronomy, folk-wain for carriage, wheelsaddle for bicycle etc but they didn't catch on. >>
Well with words like those {"starlore"? "folk-wain"? "wheelsaddle"?} it's not hard to see why.
Those words are CORNY.
tungolea and tungolcraft were the Old English words for astronomy/astrology
"starknowth" or "tonguellist" (tungol + gelise) might work, but fending (trying) to oust endstanding (existing) words is difficult and the wrong way to go about it. You have to find a good word first, then withbring (revive) it.
Saddlewheel (though still corny) sounds better than "wheel-saddle"
--how ill-fey indeed
Well with words like those {"starlore"? "folk-wain"? "wheelsaddle"?} it's not hard to see why.
Those words are CORNY.
tungolea and tungolcraft were the Old English words for astronomy/astrology
"starknowth" or "tonguellist" (tungol + gelise) might work, but fending (trying) to oust endstanding (existing) words is difficult and the wrong way to go about it. You have to find a good word first, then withbring (revive) it.
Saddlewheel (though still corny) sounds better than "wheel-saddle"
--how ill-fey indeed
I suppose, we ought to get rid of the Latin alphabet, too. Any plans to start writing English with the Runic alphabet?
<<Um,,, isn't 'star' from Latin 'stella'? >>
No.
'star' is from ME 'sterre' from Anglo-Saxon 'steorra', which is cognate to Latin 'stella' and Greek 'aster'
<<I suppose, we ought to get rid of the Latin alphabet, too. Any plans to start writing English with the Runic alphabet?>>
Nah. Basically, all Western alphabets have the same origin: Latin, Runic, Greek, etc in Phoenician
I have no problem neeting (using) the Latin variety of it
No.
'star' is from ME 'sterre' from Anglo-Saxon 'steorra', which is cognate to Latin 'stella' and Greek 'aster'
<<I suppose, we ought to get rid of the Latin alphabet, too. Any plans to start writing English with the Runic alphabet?>>
Nah. Basically, all Western alphabets have the same origin: Latin, Runic, Greek, etc in Phoenician
I have no problem neeting (using) the Latin variety of it
I don't think we need to go for absolute purity, but it would be good to get the percentage of foreign words in our vocabulary down to just 20-30% or so; thats a reasonable amount.
This could be done very easily, with almost no affect on everyday speech and writing. We could leave most of the heavily used latinate words that are part of our core vocabulary, and just eliminate all the "lofty" words that are used sparingly (only by pompous assholes) - these make up the vast majority of the latinates.
Basic guidelines for an improved english language:
1) General maintenance: All infrequently used foreign words that aren't part of spoken language (like "oeuvre") should promptly be eliminated. At least 100 thousand words can be removed without any noticeable difference in the english language.
2) Priority and prestige should always be given to words of Anglo-saxon root. When at all possible, use an anglo synonym instead of a latinate word. For example: Theres never a reason to use the word "rendezvous", when you can just say "meet" or "meeting".
3) Many writers (particularly academics) think its clever to write lots of italicized french and latin phrases like "raison d'etre", "nobless oblige", "je ne sais quoi", "modus vivendi". This should NEVER be acceptable in english anymore.
4) Efforts should be made to bring esoteric anglo-saxon words that are currently part of our vocabulary back into common use.
5) Neologisms made for new innovations in science/medicine should always be created from Anglo-saxon roots rather than greek and latin.
^^ just this could get english going back in the right direction.
This could be done very easily, with almost no affect on everyday speech and writing. We could leave most of the heavily used latinate words that are part of our core vocabulary, and just eliminate all the "lofty" words that are used sparingly (only by pompous assholes) - these make up the vast majority of the latinates.
Basic guidelines for an improved english language:
1) General maintenance: All infrequently used foreign words that aren't part of spoken language (like "oeuvre") should promptly be eliminated. At least 100 thousand words can be removed without any noticeable difference in the english language.
2) Priority and prestige should always be given to words of Anglo-saxon root. When at all possible, use an anglo synonym instead of a latinate word. For example: Theres never a reason to use the word "rendezvous", when you can just say "meet" or "meeting".
3) Many writers (particularly academics) think its clever to write lots of italicized french and latin phrases like "raison d'etre", "nobless oblige", "je ne sais quoi", "modus vivendi". This should NEVER be acceptable in english anymore.
4) Efforts should be made to bring esoteric anglo-saxon words that are currently part of our vocabulary back into common use.
5) Neologisms made for new innovations in science/medicine should always be created from Anglo-saxon roots rather than greek and latin.
^^ just this could get english going back in the right direction.
<<just this could get english going back in the right direction.>>
It could, but it won't.
It could, but it won't.
<<5) Neologisms made for new innovations in science/medicine should always be created from Anglo-saxon roots rather than greek and latin. >>
None of the Germanic languages aside from Icelandic do this. Though this statement might be true for some other Germanic languages if you changed "always" to "sometimes."
None of the Germanic languages aside from Icelandic do this. Though this statement might be true for some other Germanic languages if you changed "always" to "sometimes."
How can you be poetic if you have to replace words like 'rendezvous' with 'meeting'.
That just sucks I have to say.
That just sucks I have to say.
Guest : « How would you call "potassium hydride" using Germanic roots? »
Le mot Fr <potasse> est **déjà** d'origine germanique puisqu'il dérive de Né <potas>. Dans Fr <potassium>, seul le suffixe <#ium> est latin : le radical <potass#> est néerlandais d'origine.
néerlandais <potas>
▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
allemand <Pottasche> — castillan <potasa> — français <potasse> — grec <ποτάσ(σ)α> — italien <potassa> — polonais <potaż> — portugais <potassa> — russe <поташ> — suédois <pottaska> — tchèque <potaš>
Je crois que le néerlandais et l'allemand utilisent <(k)(K)alium>, une racine arabe suffixée en latin, pour désigner le potassium (racine néerlandaise suffixée en latin) : Al <Kaliumhydrid> & Né <kaliumhydride>. Mais peut-être que Fr <hydrure de...> = Al <...hydrid> = Né <...hydride> pourraient se rendre à l'aide d'une préfixation par Al <Waterstof...> & Né <waterstop...> respectivement ? À vérifier par nos amis germanophones et néerlandophones.
Le mot Fr <potasse> est **déjà** d'origine germanique puisqu'il dérive de Né <potas>. Dans Fr <potassium>, seul le suffixe <#ium> est latin : le radical <potass#> est néerlandais d'origine.
néerlandais <potas>
▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
allemand <Pottasche> — castillan <potasa> — français <potasse> — grec <ποτάσ(σ)α> — italien <potassa> — polonais <potaż> — portugais <potassa> — russe <поташ> — suédois <pottaska> — tchèque <potaš>
Je crois que le néerlandais et l'allemand utilisent <(k)(K)alium>, une racine arabe suffixée en latin, pour désigner le potassium (racine néerlandaise suffixée en latin) : Al <Kaliumhydrid> & Né <kaliumhydride>. Mais peut-être que Fr <hydrure de...> = Al <...hydrid> = Né <...hydride> pourraient se rendre à l'aide d'une préfixation par Al <Waterstof...> & Né <waterstop...> respectivement ? À vérifier par nos amis germanophones et néerlandophones.
These people who advocate purging the English language of Latinates are like the Nazis who advocated purging society of Jews, even though the Jews were the most productive members of society. Similarly, Latinates are the most productive words in the language. I feel really strongly about this issue, I would even go to war to protect the Latinates (yes, literally).
<<These people who advocate purging the English language of Latinates are like the Nazis who advocated purging society of Jews, even though the Jews were the most productive members of society. Similarly, Latinates are the most productive words in the language. I feel really strongly about this issue, I would even go to war to protect the Latinates (yes, literally). >>
I think you are a bit extreme in your presentation, but I do agree with the actual point behind your extravagant rhetoric.
I think you are a bit extreme in your presentation, but I do agree with the actual point behind your extravagant rhetoric.
<<At least 100 thousand words can be removed without any noticeable difference in the english language.>>
If there'd be no noticeable difference, why bother removing them?
If there'd be no noticeable difference, why bother removing them?