Re: OT: Latin (was Re: RE: [tlug] [REMINDER] "Defending the Creative Commons")

[Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com>]

On Sat, 14 Dec 2002 13:34:17 +0900, <e_davies@example.com> wrote to
<tlug@example.com>:

> Latin didn't "die" so much as it morphed (evolved/devolved - take your
> pick) into different languages: present day Italian, Spanish, French and
> Romanian.

What's even more interesting is the period at which each language "branched"
from Latin to become what it is now.

Having lived in France for almost 20 years (over half my life) I'm fluent in
the language now. We recently had some Italian friends to stay for about a
week, and the discussion moved over to languages because we all found it so
uncanny how I could pick up and speak Italian so quickly. The explanation I
gave was that it is so similar to French. The grammar is virtually the same,
the words are similar, and if you wave your hands around enough you can pass
off as an Italian :)

Enrico gave me a few examples of how Latin words evolved over time and their
equivalents in Spanish and Italian, and it became clear that Spanish
branched away from Latin much earlier. Add to that the Maurish influence in
Iberia from about 700AD onwards and you get something which is quite
different from Italian.

Fascinating.... I love languages :)

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G. Stewart   --   gstewart@example.com
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