[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> English, by comparison shows the effects of protracted foreign
> occupation of English speaking peoples by conquerors who spoke a
> foreign language.
And also of protacted occupation of foreign countries by English
speaking conquerors. Witness the number of Indian loan words,
especially in British English, and even more so in Army English.
> Japan, in contrast, has no "independence day" because until 1945,
> they had never been invaded and conquered.
Remember, Britain hasn't been invaded or conquered since 1066. A
remarkably large number of 'foreign' words have entered English since
then. The rules seems to be "If it's a word for a concept we don't
actually have a word for, and it's not a complete and utter bastard to
pronounce/spell then nick it."
--
Piers
