The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- English language is not pure; it has taken words from other languages aggressively.
- In plain terms
- English mixes words from many sources rather than staying clean.
- What can you take from it?
- Language evolves by borrowing and adapting words from elsewhere.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is purity a valid goal for language?
- How does borrowing affect meaning?
Another view
The metaphor of violence used to describe linguistic borrowing is vivid but extreme.
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