100 events that shaped the English language

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/36hdysl

They have listed the first 20 so far, but I find it incredible that they have not included the most important events of all.

That is the beginnings of the settlement of the English to America, and the discoveries leading to the building of the British Empire.

Yes all of these brought the spoken English language to a large proportion of the world.

[sandyRoe]

I notice John Lennon mentioned. What did he do to help shape the English language?

[anotheoldgit]

Quite right sandy, they don't even speak English in Liverpool.

Heads down, from flying wheel trims.

[boxtops]

I think this is a very one-sided approach from what I have read so far - they seem to be commemorating event which took place in the UK which were benchmarks, but not noticing that hundreds of words in the English language today (bungalow, khaki, kangaroo) have come to us from those other countries where the British travelled and who came to us in return. Vikings, French, Spanish, Arabs - all of them have helped to shape the English language (where would we be without algebra, chemistry and alcohol as words in everyday use?)

[daftgrandad]

I would hardly think that the Harry Potter books have shaped our language.

[boxtops]

PS AOG - why is the British (not only English) moving to America, part of the English Language development? I don't understand, we took it to them, many parts of the US still use Old English and still spell words as we did then (e.g. color).

[saxy_jag]

The Americans speak English? Since when?

[123everton]

True, the empire gave us good English words like bungalow and boycott.

[anotheoldgit]

boxtops

Well it introduced the speaking of English to that large part of there Western world, which in turn has helped to make English the international language of the world.

ie. all Airlines use it.

[fredpuli47]

Don't follow how the birth of a rap artist, or rap itself, has been an event that shaped the English language.
If we're being as trivial as that, how about the birth of Charles Lutwidge Dogson, Lewis Carroll, who gave us the phrase 'portmanteau word' and such useful additions to the language as 'chortle' ?
Good to see Lakenheath being mentioned, though in the context of the C5. Lakenheath, in Suffolk, home to an enormous US airbase, has been a great influence, in trying to get Americans to speak English (and to get them to drive on the left when here, an attempt not always successful!)

[jno]

it didn't really shape the language. In some ways they've held to the language we've abandoned - eg fall for autumn, gotten for got. All the same, it has to be more significant than 'Plumstead 1988'.

[tanny22]

well said steve

[Scylax]

The great strength of the English language is that it is prepared to adopt any foreign words that prove useful. In time these words become standard English, and we don't care where they come from. Contrast this with the Acadamie Francaise which is so precious of 'pure' French that they rile at 'le camping' and 'le weekend'.

I see little use for the Welsh language, but even Welsh speakers readily adopt any English words that are not in their own vocabulary eg. 'ambwlans' and 'snwcer' for
ambulance and snooker. Good luck to them - we English have been doing it for
c. 2000 years.

[anotheoldgit]

Steve.5 & tanny22

/// Surely you mean exploitation & plundering other countries. ///

Why are we any different from the Greeks, Romans, Mongols, Moors, French, Spanish, Scandinavians, Dutch, Germans, Belgiums, in fact most countries of the world?

They all had a go at colonising some parts of the world, but these countries are still dragging their heels, even after obtaining some of the vast benefits bestowed on them from the more civilised countries.

I bet you never hear a Spaniard for example bemoaning their country for past colonising of parts of the world.

Then why is it we seem prolific in producing vast numbers of hand wringing apologists in this country, perhaps it is another one of the disadvantages of a multi racial country?.

[sp1814]

AOG

It's because Brits don't have the most fantastic reputation in some former colonies and those who aren't handwringing are looking back with the rosiest of rose-tinted glasses.

[jaydah]

plundering & exploiting - bah....the indiginous weren't industrialised and didn't know how to use most of the mineral wealth till the imperialists showed them.

It galled me that the last Olympics had a steam engine as central to ceremonies with no acknowledgement of who built the railways. Shudda left 'em with the ox-n-cart they deserve.