Is the definition of English as a “French-German creole” (or even a romance-germanic creole) at all mainstream in linguistics? I was under the impression that mainstream linguistics classifies modern English firmly as West Germanic, and discounts the Normans’ infusion of French vocabulary into it as inconsequential.
I don't know about that but definition, creole, romance, impression, classifies, modern, firmly, discounts, and infusion all have french origins.
My headcanon theory is indeed that English is a creole language.
Mix the grammar, verbes and functional words of the lower-status people (natives, imported slaves) and nouns of the higher-status people (invaders, colonizers and masters) and boom, after a few generations you get a creole language.
This theory works surprisingly as well for English as for, for example, Caribbean creoles.
I knew several of these words! Hooray for the remnants of pre-semester-abroad self-taught Welsh!
Nice to see the Celtic languages referenced by smbc. Da iawn.
inspiration taken from the 'Once and Future' comic series perhaps? pretty much this exact thing happens in it. it's quite short and finished, highly recommend it!
Aren’t one of the invader groups that he fought off the Saxons and other Germanic groups?
