I have long felt that we English speakers have all the cards. Invented in England by the English, we should impose a ‘Language Tax’ on all those nations who use it without a licence.
The USA would pay 10% - of course Scotland, Wales, Australia, NZ would be included. Even those EU meeting held in English would pay.
I’m penning a letter to Sir Starmer now suggesting this…
6 Likes
Oh no you didn’t:
English is primarily based on West Germanic languages, particularly those spoken by the Anglo-Saxons who migrated to Britain in the 5th century. Its core grammar and vocabulary are Germanic in origin. However, English has been heavily influenced by other languages over time:
• Old Norse: Contributed vocabulary and simplified grammar due to Viking invasions.
• Norman French: After the Norman Conquest (1066), English borrowed extensively from French, especially in areas like law, governance, and culture, contributing about 29% of its modern vocabulary.
• Latin: Another major influence, especially in academic, scientific, and religious contexts, also contributing around 29% of English words.
• Other influences: Dutch, Greek, and Celtic languages have also left their mark on English vocabulary and structure.
Thus, while English is fundamentally Germanic, it has evolved into a rich blend of multiple linguistic traditions.
6 Likes
I heard that the English language follows other languages down dark alleys, beats them up and goes through their pockets looking for loose grammar.
9 Likes
It’s known among linguists as an “onion language” because of the way the layers built up as various languages were incorporated. 1066 gave us 13,000 new words alone.
A Friday thread, right?
All I heard From England is that whatever is spoken in USA is not English. So, what’s the argument for taxation?
5 Likes
I’m surprised that Trump hasn’t forced a renaming of the language to ‘American’? Like he did with the Gulf of America.
4 Likes
He still has 3.5 years time for that.
6 Likes
Now, about that New England region …
ETA
And of course there’s that eyesore that is New Mexico.
1 Like
What about a general tax on the USA? For generations the USA has been ripping off the rest of the world. Taking some of the best brains and hardest workers. Not paying a cent for their education. The lure of having the biggest fridges and best cars is over. The game is up. Oh, and what happened to democracy, health care and equal opportunity? There might just be better offers elsewhere these days.
Unless he scraps the two term limit and becomes president for life.
That has a few darker implications.President for life might end meaning next week.
2 Likes
I have no idea what you are saying?
@curley, wakie wakie…life’s (sometimes) too short.
As long as he keep away from the grassy knoll…
I doubt Trump´s tenure will be short because the people to whom he panders wont want to upset their feeding bowl and as long as Trump toes the line he will be alright.
Having said that he seems to be organizing something along the pretorian guard or a SS Leibstandarte Donald Trump.
McDonalds seems the bigger threat anyway.
Ya right… you can even come up with an English name for you conservative party - Tory is the Irish word for a robber!
Huh, keep quiet about such ideas otherwise you might soon see Trump asking for ransom all over the world (yes pun intended, the world is not using British but American)
well, I don’t know. The rest of the world has enough languages available. How many languages does Trump speak? It might be the perfect way to mute him.
How many languages does he speak? One.
How many languages does he speak well? Even fewer.
1 Like