Someplace, I know not where, I have a book on the history of the English
language and it mentions that the earliest known derivative of the
Anglo-Saxon language was from a group of people that had been banished from
Germany and settled in England. That is all I remember about it. I'll find
the reference and let you know more precisely what it said if you're
interested. Of course, English has been influenced by many language sources.
Only the US version is truly "pure." <g>
/jnm
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Chris Barker
> Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 2:21 PM
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Language, Really OT (was [OM] Cricket Match)
>
>
> >A lady friend sent me a picture of a sign in a shop window in London that
> >said; "We Speak American." I've always found it interesting that
> the English
> >language originated in Germany. /jnm
> >
>
> I don' sink so m'sieu.
>
> It is *Anglo-Saxon* by name, certainly, but its origins are many.
> More, I would say, originates from Old English and Latin.
>
> There are, of course, many similarities with Germanic languages, but
> look at the OE and Latin derivatives that are common with French,
> Spanish and Italian. The Greek derivations are many as well.
>
> My last office-mate was a German who spoke excellent English (married
> to a girl from Barnsley, Yorkshire) and we often discussed our
> languages. I think that we had to agree that there were common
> external stems to most of the words that we discussed rather than a
> direct derivation from one language to another.
>
> Yes, I know I am taking your comment much, much too seriously
> James... but I do find it interesting.
>
> Chris
> --
> <|_:-)_|>
>
> C M I Barker
> Cambridgeshire, England.
>
> +44 (0)7092 251126
> mailto:imagopus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ... a nascent photo library.
>
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