# Interesting quote about the English language...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 10, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058 "2003-02-10T07:49:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058/1 "2003-02-10T07:49:30Z")

</div>

Got this from my friend Jacob, although he mention who it could be attributed to:

“English doesn’t borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.”

😃

Esprix

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058/2 "2003-02-10T08:13:36Z")

</div>

I used a modified version of that quote in GQ recently. [Right here, in fact.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=2933599#post2933599)

Odd how the world works, isn’t it? 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058/3 "2003-02-10T14:24:37Z")

</div>

When I opened this thread, I had a feeling that that was what it would be . . .

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-quote-about-the-english-language/154058/4 "2003-02-10T16:49:13Z")

</div>

Er, sorry, the OP should read that he _didn’t_ attribute who said it.

Esprix