Peculiarity

[Lozzer]

Isn't it slightly mind-boggling that because Britain was invaded by Romans, followed by Anglo-Saxons and vikings, a large part of the world speaks English today?

[Rum]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

[Lozzer]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

I'm quite aware of that, but it's the accumulation of history and the coincidental mingling of different languages that we speak English as we know it today.

[Rum]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

I'm quite aware of that, but it's the accumulation of history and the coincidental mingling of different languages that we speak English as we know it today.

OK - take your point. But if France had been better at the colonisation game most of the world would speak their version of Latin/Anglo Saxon lingo.

[Lozzer]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

I'm quite aware of that, but it's the accumulation of history and the coincidental mingling of different languages that we speak English as we know it today.

OK - take your point. But if France had been better at the colonisation game most of the world would speak their version of Latin/Anglo Saxon lingo.

To an extent, that's true, but French is inseparable from our vernacular thanks to the Normans.

[Rum]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

I'm quite aware of that, but it's the accumulation of history and the coincidental mingling of different languages that we speak English as we know it today.

OK - take your point. But if France had been better at the colonisation game most of the world would speak their version of Latin/Anglo Saxon lingo.

To an extent, that's true, but French is inseparable from our vernacular thanks to the Normans.

Yes, but it is a different language.

[Lozzer]

Yes, but it is a different language.

Yep, but it was the language of power in 1100 and thereafter. It's identifiable in many nouns in the English language, for example: Pig is an Anglo-Saxon word, but after the process of cooking, it's known as 'pork'. It's still interlinked with English; it's the eclectic nature of our language.

[Feck]

Well we were never going to rule the world speaking Welsh or Gaelic were we ?

[Rum]

Yes, but it is a different language.

Yep, but it was the language of power in 1100 and thereafter. It's identifiable in many nouns in the English language, for example: Pig is an Anglo-Saxon word, but after the process of cooking, it's known as 'pork'. It's still interlinked with English; it's the eclectic nature of our language.

You are gibbering now.

[Ironclad]

The language of trade, my man. Britannia ruled the waves!

[JOZeldenrust]

Well the events you describe are not directly linked, though they are associated of course.

The main reason much of the world speaks English is because we were the most efficient and often ruthless colonists and a third of the world 'belonged' to us one way or another at one time.

Not really. When Britain was a succesful colonial power, the lingua franca was mostly French. English is now the lingua franca because it's the first language in the US, and the US is the dominant culture. We speak English because of Holywood.

[Berthold]

We speak English because of Holywood.

British pop music of the '60s did a little bit, too.