But that trial and error give English its richness. Payack figures Spanish has about 275,000.įrench has a timeless beauty and is unsullied by the indignities that come and go from the English lexicon: Payack's "dictionary" includes such dubious gems as bagonize (to worry about your luggage at the airport baggage carousel) and smirting, for the smoking-and-flirting action that happens among smokers forced to pursue their habits in crowded doorways. Protected from change by L'Academie francaise, which has guarded the purity of the language against outside words since the 17 century, the French language is estimated to have about 100,000 words. Just as uncountable and spectacular creatures thrive in the tropics, with new species continually being discovered and old ones becoming extinct, so English is teeming with etymological life, nurturing constant verbal innovation.įrench, by comparison, is a climate-controlled museum. Payack's Web-assisted compilation of the latest in slang, coined phrases and mongrel words is reminder enough to celebrate the breadth, depth, diversity, adaptability, versatility and vitality of the language most Americans share.Įnglish grew from sturdy Germanic roots, then acquired an infusion of French flair with the Norman invasion of England in 1066, followed by the enhanced structure of Latinization during the Renaissance.Įnglish is the tropical rain forest of world languages. ![]() Never mind trying to prove or disprove word junkie Paul Payack's contention that the English language is about to acquire its millionth word.
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