Which was the last British language to become extinct

[matt66]

To mean that there is not a single living speaker of that language in the world. A language that could find its roots and origins in the Bristish Isles.

[johnlambert]

QM
I think there is a reference to the Egyptian theory in the Declaration of Arbroath and I recall reading about it in Nigel Tranter's Robert the Bruce Trilogy (I know Nigel wasnt an historian but it made good reading)

[makemesmile]

QM - so where does posh come from?

[Quizmonster]

Just for you, Makemesmile...

I'm afraid that the 'port out, starboard home' explanation is nothing more than an urban legend...and, as such, it supposedly referred to the journey by P & O steamship between Britain and India in colonial/raj days. The very first time the word appeared in print, meaning 'grand/swell' was in 1918, having earlier appeared as 'push' - with a "u" - in a P G Wodehouse story in 1903.
As British officials and officers with wives and families had been sailing to and fro India for almost three centuries by then, it's clearly too late for the �port out' explanation to have any substance. It was also rejected in the 'Mariners' Mirror' decades ago and presumably sailors of all people would have known. Finally, the steamship company, P & O, themselves deny the phrase ever existed!
According to The Oxford English Dictionary, it is probably no more than a corruption of Wodehouse's 'push'. The dictionary goes on to say the legend (quote) "lacks foundation".

[makemesmile]

Thanks QM - shame though 'eh? 'Port out' etc sounds a much better explaination.

[Quizmonster]

I couldn't agree more, MMS, but etymythology really has to be put to rest wherever it raises its head, I'm afraid. The poor souls who, for example, believe "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" has to do with cannon-shot on old sailing-ships and a host of similar nonsenses - such as the idea that the f-word is an acronym - need to be disabused of their notions. Cheers

[Spreeny]

How about Esperanto