[Mgs] Common Language

[Paul Hunt]

That's what I meant, the Romans (and the previous invaders) *did* take their
culture to England through conquering them, I said nothing about being
descended from them, just that a lot of place names, words and language had
arrived with each influx, but progressively less as you move further away from
their point of entry.

The Irish (and Welsh and Scots) may not like it but that doesn't change the
fact that 88%, 81%, 79% respectively and 68% of the English all have the same
antecedents.  It's the Anglo-Saxon and later influences they object to.

PaulH.

  ----- Original Message -----


  Easy -- look at the Romans, for example. All the "Romance" languages are
  based on Latin, but that doesn't mean that all the people of France, Italy,
  Spain, etc. are descended from Romans who displaced or eliminated their
  predecessors. The minority conquerors just installed their language, system
  of laws, customs, etc., and the majority locals had to get used to it.

  Why do most people in Ireland speak English? Same thing -- a minority
  conqueror imposed their language. But are most Irish genetically English? I
  wouldn't suggest that in Dublin...