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Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 6:11 am
by Philosophy Explorer
Heard this from a game show.
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 6:26 am
by Philosophy Explorer
This article goes into some detail on this subject:
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/language ... 02572.html
A quick internet check indicates there's controversy as to what a word is. Still the game show (
Press Your Luck) says English is the wordiest language.
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:40 am
by -1-
A quick internet check brings light to the fact that you are running out of intelligent questions to ask, Wonderboy.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:38 pm
by Eodnhoj7
Imperialism caused a synthesis of the primary dialect with local dialects.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:50 pm
by Philosophy Explorer
-1- wrote: ↑Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:40 am
A quick internet check brings light to the fact that you are running out of intelligent questions to ask, Wonderboy.
So what's your excuse?
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:51 am
by -1-
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:50 pm
-1- wrote: ↑Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:40 am
A quick internet check brings light to the fact that you are running out of intelligent questions to ask, Wonderboy.
So what's your excuse?
PhilX
I read and answer too many of your topics.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:56 am
by Philosophy Explorer
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:51 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:50 pm
-1- wrote: ↑Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:40 am
A quick internet check brings light to the fact that you are running out of intelligent questions to ask, Wonderboy.
So what's your excuse?
PhilX
I read and answer too many of your topics.
Why this special interest in me?
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:40 am
by -1-
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:56 am
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:51 am
I read and answer too many of your topics.
Why this special interest in me?
PhilX
I live an extremely boring and simplistic life. Today it's you; tomorrow it's Farrah Fawcett Majors. The day after, The Day After The Day After (the show made for TV by BBC).
Your topics are easy to answer, therefore, and strangely, they give me inspiration to be sarcastically humorous. I know it's hard for you to see the humour, as most jokes in reply to your thread posts are made on your expense.
Last night I was especially depressed. Hence my harsher tone.
Today I feel a bit better. Shows in the softening of my sarcasm.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:28 am
by Philosophy Explorer
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:40 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:56 am
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:51 am
I read and answer too many of your topics.
Why this special interest in me?
PhilX
I live an extremely boring and simplistic life. Today it's you; tomorrow it's Farrah Fawcett Majors. The day after, The Day After The Day After (the show made for TV by BBC).
Your topics are easy to answer, therefore, and strangely, they give me inspiration to be sarcastically humorous. I know it's hard for you to see the humour, as most jokes in reply to your thread posts are made on your expense.
Last night I was especially depressed. Hence my harsher tone.
Today I feel a bit better. Shows in the softening of my sarcasm.
If you're so depressed, I'll suggest philosophical counseling for you (maybe my threads are a cure for your depression).
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:52 am
by -1-
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:28 am
(maybe my threads are a cure for your depression).
PhilX
They are, they are.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:36 am
by Philosophy Explorer
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:52 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:28 am
(maybe my threads are a cure for your depression).
PhilX
They are, they are.
So what do you think of John Doe's answer?
PhilX
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:27 am
by -1-
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:36 am
-1- wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:52 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:28 am
(maybe my threads are a cure for your depression).
PhilX
They are, they are.
So what do you think of John Doe's answer?
PhilX
John Doe 7 is on my iggie list. His posts don't show to me. Hence, I don't have an opinion to offer.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 12:58 am
by Dalek Prime
It's the wordiest language, as it evolved from the Germanic forms to incorporate many other languages. What we didn't have, we imported. And what we did have, we added alternatives and variants.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:35 pm
by Arising_uk
Because it's two languages combined and because it managed to do this it allowed, as Imp said, the importation of many words from languages around the world with little friction.
Re: Why is English the wordiest language?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:43 am
by gaffo
because of the Normans - who invaded and killed the righfull king Harold in 1066 (who was winning the battle, until he got the arrow in his eye/head and died and his men fled the field and gave it to William)
and due to the Nords 200 centuries earlier too.
English now is a mix of german, Dane, Norwgian, and French..............and why we have such a large vocabulary - and 3 words from each earlier invading nations words - that mean the same thing.
PhilX