JS Tip 598: The Reason It's So Confusing, Part 1

It’s been a while since we visited our foundation topic of writing. In English. 

Writing in English—speaking in English—communicating in English—isn’t easy. Too many rules. Too many exceptions. It’s frustrating. It’s confusing. 

There’s an answer, though, as to why it’s so frustrating. So confusing. 

The tough, hard, bitter reality is that the English language isn’t logical. It’s never been logical. It won’t ever be logical.  

English is a living language formed by history, not logic. Change. Migration. War. Political upheaval. Discovery.

Consider these lists: 

       Beef               Cow
       Pork              Pig
       Venison        Deer
       Mutton         Sheep

Why do we have two different words: One for what’s on the table and one for what’s on the hoof? 

There is no logic. There is history. 

Late in the afternoon of October 14th, 1066, the French-speaking army of William of Normandy met the Anglish-speaking army of King Harald Godwinson at Hastings, England. (Anglish is the great-great-whatever-grandfather of English.)  

That afternoon changed the course of the language. The Normans carried the day, killed Harald, and crushed his army.

For three hundred years after that afternoon, the rulers, the rich, the people who ate the food, spoke French. Every word in the left-hand column is French. 

The serfs, the peasants, the people who raised the food, spoke Anglish. Every word in the right-hand column is Anglish.

Not logic. History. 

This is fascinating. We’ll continue the discussion next week. 

We love this stuff.