[geeks] Vocabulary and grammar (was: New Tech Schools: Digital Harbor in Baltimore)

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Micah R Ledbetter <vlack-lists at vlack.com>
" 
" 
" In English, I have heard a theory on our perception of this which  
" sounds reasonable to me - words of Latin origin have a tendency to be  
" longer than other words in English (Latin, after all, had fewer  
" vowels sounds than English does). The Latin language was associated  
" with learning and the clergy, and hence, to use words of Latin descent  
" was seen as intelligent. Today, with less of an emphasis on Latin  
" proper, the association is simply with those "big words".

there is probably more than a shadow of norman influence in this.
after the norman conquest, french was the language of the ruling class
while english was the language of the commoner.  you can see the
difference in such legal phrases as 'cease and desist'; both words
mean the same, but cease is saxon while desist is norman french.

rant: this legal practice dates from the time when formal docs had to
be written so that both conqueror and conquered could read them, but
1000 years later lawyers are still doing it!  even the english royalty
formally abandoned french 700-odd years ago.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought