Oct 13, 2009
Why today is (the first ever) English Language Day.
It was on 13 October, 1362 that the Chancellor of England for the first time opened Parliament with a speech in English.
Subscribe to 22 Words
Recent Comments
Sponsors
Categories
- Arts in General (24)
- Bible (67)
- Blogging (158)
- Brevity (25)
- Constructive Criticism (271)
- Faith (217)
- Food & Drink (63)
- Language (226)
- Literature (112)
- Love (93)
- Miscellanea (308)
- Movies & TV (27)
- Music (171)
- parenting (158)
- Personal (191)
- Questions (258)
- Quotes (41)
- Recommendations (132)
- Sports (14)
- Technology (2)
- Uncategorized (9)
- Visual Art (36)
- Writing (57)
Archives
- September 2010 (9)
- August 2010 (88)
- July 2010 (116)
- June 2010 (79)
- May 2010 (89)
- April 2010 (62)
- March 2010 (21)
- February 2010 (25)
- January 2010 (32)
- December 2009 (47)
- November 2009 (63)
- October 2009 (45)
- September 2009 (40)
- August 2009 (40)
- July 2009 (40)
- June 2009 (37)
- May 2009 (47)
- April 2009 (51)
- March 2009 (40)
- February 2009 (31)
- January 2009 (44)
- December 2008 (47)
- November 2008 (54)
- October 2008 (50)
- September 2008 (41)
- August 2008 (45)
- July 2008 (51)
- June 2008 (51)
- May 2008 (66)
- April 2008 (74)
- March 2008 (71)
- February 2008 (19)
Reader Recommendations
Some of the books and music that you, the readers, have recommended here over time:
Twitter Recommendations
Theme based on Derek Punsalan's Grid Focus.
What language was used before this?
My guess would Norman French or Latin. Am I right Abraham?
The verb “be” should be after would and before Norman.
That would have been a mind-blowing day. I suppose there was quite an uproar.
“Two nations separated by a common tongue.”
In other words, do we “colonists” get to participate?
I should have off work. I’ve been observing the speaking of English my whole life!
I wonder how many of us would actually understand that speech if we heard it today.
The more scholarly might, but not the rest of us. Strangely enough, it seems to be fairly readable if you read out loud.
[...] English Language Day. Actually, this was yesterday (13 October). Is this an American thing? Surely not! Still, I don’t know how else I would have found out about it. Apparently, it marks the date in 1362 when a Chancellor opened Parliament with a speech in English. Neat. [...]
You’ve got to elaborate on this. ????
P.S. Have you read “The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary,” by Simon Winchester? It sounds right up your alley. It’s GOOD.