Re: Origin of English?

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Article #2143

#2143

From: Eric Barber
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 09:05

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In article <9974@fs3.cam.nist.gov> koontz@cam.nist.gov (John E. Koontz X5180) writes:
<In article <memo.846118@cix.compulink.co.uk<, petex@cix.compulink.co.uk (Peter Christian) writes:
<|< < |< one of the striking features of English is its lack of conjugations
<|< < |< and declensions. 
<|< < 
<|< < Actually, English still contains conjugations, though the personal inflection
<|< < of most verbs is very simplified....
<|< 
<|< I don't think Eric meant absolute lack, but relative lack,
<|< considering its origins in a highly inflected language, and compared
<|< with its nearest cognates. ...
<
<...  I think what
<Eric meant was not "lack of conjugations and declensions," but
<"(relative) lack of inflection," or not quite so well put,
<"(relative) lack of conjugation and declension."
<----
<John E. Koontz (koontz@bldr.nist.gov)

that's what I meant, thanks. Eric
   _    "just a Texan a long way from home"
 _| ~-. Eric Barber, BNR Europe Limited, London Road, Harlow, England CM17 9NA
 \, *_} AT&T/BT/etc. +44 279 403527/429531 x 3527, ESN (NT/BNR) 6 742 3527
   \(   DISCLAIMER:  Working at, not speaking for, BNR  | Eric.Barber@bnr.co.uk

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!agate!doc.ic.ac.uk!uknet!bnr.co.uk!sizex
From: sizex@bnr.co.uk (Eric Barber)
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Origin of English?
Message-ID: <1igrp5INNbj8@bHARs12c.bnr.co.uk>
Date: 7 Jan 93 09:05:41 GMT
References: <memo.846118@cix.compulink.co.uk> <9974@fs3.cam.nist.gov>
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