# Who invented the English Language??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 6, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795 "2000-07-06T22:44:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Proffessor\_Pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Proffessor\_Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proffessor_Pete)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/1 "2000-07-06T22:44:29Z")
Dear All, 4 Questions here to be answered: 1. Who invented the English language? 2. Was anybody credited with it? 3. Who invented the word “NICE”? (Imagine one day, some apeman just came out with the word and lo, everybody else understood what it meant and that he liked it? Would this have been the case?) 4. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” in my own language and hope that it becomes recognised as such by everyone else. Would this work or would i just get strange looks from everyone) Thanks in advance =) ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/2 "2000-07-06T22:58:45Z")
\*Originally posted by Proffessor Pete \* Dear All, 4 Questions here to be answered: 1. Who invented the English language? \*\* Joe “Chuckie” English \*\* 1. Was anybody credited with it? \*\* No. Joe’s a private kinda guy. \*\* 1. Who invented the word “NICE”? (Imagine one day, some apeman just came out with the word and lo, everybody else understood what it meant and that he liked it? Would this have been the case?) \*\* Yeah, just like that. \*\* 1. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” in my own language and hope that it becomes recognised as such by everyone else. Would this work or would i just get strange looks from everyone) \*\* Well, you could do that, but unless you’re a member of the ALSU (Amalgamated Language Starter’s Union), you’d probably get into serious trouble. (The ALSU had been known to send around some of the boys to “pursuade” people not to invade their turf.) \*\* Thanks in advance =) \*\* Sure thing! \*\* ---
**Author:** ![jakanapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jakanapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakanapes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/3 "2000-07-06T23:02:39Z")
[list=1] [li]No one. In brief, the English language is sort of a mixture of the Germanic dialects that were spoken by invading tribes of Engels (not Friedrich so don’t even make the joke)Jutes and Saxons in about the 5th century. They pushed out the native Celtic tribes (welsh=welas=foreigner in old English) and had themselves a good time. Then in 1066 some frankasized scandinavians came and busted up the party and our language went on the heavy French bent that we see today.[/li][li]So, no.[/li][li]Nice comes originally from the Latin Nitidum which meant “Clean” or “Distinct” from there it went into French and then English. However in French “niaix” means something like foolish and the original English meaning was something of the same. How it got its current meaning, I can’t tell you but the OED could.[/li]Sure, you and whoever wanted to learn it could talk up a storm. (Cf. Volpuk, Esparanto, Lojban, Klingon)Study up on some linguistics and you can make a rather nice language. Somebody help me, there’s a guy who declared his bedroom a sovereign nation and he and others made up a system of government and a language that is a mixture of germanic, celtic, and God knows what else. It’s been a while since I’ve seen anything about it. Start speaking gibberish to people and yes, I’d say a fair amount of strange looks will come from it. ---
**Author:** ![jakanapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jakanapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakanapes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/4 "2000-07-06T23:05:59Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Who invented the English language? > > Joe “Chuckie” English \*\* Jesus the misinformation that gets around here!\*\* Chuckie English invented the spin you put on a billiard ball. And yes, I think he owns the patent still. ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/5 "2000-07-06T23:06:21Z")
I’m sure Al Gore would jump at the chance to take credit for it! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/6 "2000-07-07T00:02:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Proffessor Pete \* > \*\*Dear All, > > 4 Questions here to be answered: > … > 4. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” in my own language and hope that it becomes recognised as such by everyone else. Would this work or would i just get strange looks from everyone) > > Thanks in advance =) \*\* No, dammit! That’s my language! You go get your own. Strangely, my language is just like English, except JJJJKERWRIGS means, how do you say, “hello”. However, Professor, I believe JJJJJKERWRIGS is still free. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/7 "2000-07-07T00:49:53Z")
**jakanapes** is correct. “Chuckie” English invented the billiard spin. FRED English invented the language. (That’s the problem with a long commute. Someone always beats ya to the punch… line.) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/8 "2000-07-07T01:36:45Z")
4 Questions here to be answered: 1. Who invented the English language? A: Queen Victoria. Before the 19th century, everyone spoke whatever uncouth dialect the peasants in their villiage had always spoken. These were “English” in roughly the same degree that Haitan creole is French. Then after Victoria’s death, the BBC took up the torch. 1. Was anybody credited with it? A: See above. 1. Who invented the word “NICE”? (Imagine one day, some apeman just came out with the word and lo, everybody else understood what it meant and that he liked it? Would this have been the case?) A: NICE is an acronym for National Institute of Coordinated Experiments, a British think-tank in the early 1950s that was actually a front for a band of Satan worshipers who were trying to herald the reign of the Antichrist. It was destroyed by the wrath of God, through the intermediary of the wizard Merlin. 1. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” in my own language and hope that it becomes recognised as such by everyone else. Would this work or would i just get strange looks from everyone) A: No, it wouldn’t work. You would just get strange looks from everyone. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/9 "2000-07-07T04:46:08Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Who invented the English language? The English people. > [@](#): > > 1. Was anybody credited with it? Yes, it’s right there in the name. > [@](#): > > 1. Who invented the word “NICE”? The Scottish poet Ewan McTeagle. He actually said, “Thass nae ice!” (That’s not ice!) as he trod into a puddle that looked like it was frozen over. He was overheard by some English tourists, who thought McTeagle _liked_ walking in puddles, and took the “new” word home with them as a souvenir of their vacation. > [@](#): > > 1. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” How do you pronounce “JJJJKERWRIGS”? Your language won’t have much of a linguistic future if it can’t be pronounced. An entirely new language is pretty tricky, you might want to do what everybody else does and just modify existing ones. You’ll still get strange looks - but don’t say I didn’t woo cheese. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/10 "2000-07-07T09:49:39Z")
> [@](#): > > jakanapes is correct. “Chuckie” English invented the billiard spin. FRED English invented the language. Although there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that his research assistant, Trevor Scots-Gaelic, was _actually_ responsible for the invention of English. Fred insisted on being listed as first author, though. Trevor was later credited with the invention of another language, but I forget which one. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/11 "2000-07-07T09:51:15Z")
> [@](#): > > How do you pronounce “JJJJKERWRIGS”? “Throat wobbler mangrove” ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/12 "2000-07-07T09:59:40Z")
Who invented the word “Proffessor”? It’s a new one to me. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/13 "2000-07-07T10:27:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Proffessor Pete \* > \*\* > 4. How can i start my own language??? (For example, i could say that the word “JJJJKERWRIGS” meant “HELLO” in my own language and hope that it becomes recognised as such by everyone else. Would this work or would i just get strange looks from everyone) > > Thanks in advance =) \*\* I’ll go out on a limb and look like the conlang freak here ;)). But, try these links out: Conlang Yellow Pages: [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/5555/conlang.htm](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/5555/conlang.htm) - Different conlangs. [Langmaker.com](http://Langmaker.com): [http://www.langmaker.com/](http://www.langmaker.com/) Anyway have fun. ---
**Author:** ![DaneH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@DaneH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaneH)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/14 "2000-07-08T06:38:03Z")
Everybody knows that Bruce Springsteen invented english!!! Think about it…he did sing Born in the USA, did he not? I rest my case. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/15 "2000-07-08T06:47:27Z")
God created English in 642ad so that politicians wouldn’t have to lie in French or Latin. Not that I think about it, this is probably THE proof of God that everyone has been searching for! ---
**Author:** ![dustin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@dustin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/16 "2000-07-08T08:35:23Z")
(((((hijack))))I SPEAK KLINGON KA PLA((((hijack)))) ---
**Author:** ![TheThill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2000, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/17 "2000-07-10T14:17:10Z")
“Nice” most likely went from foolish to, well, nice the same way other words flip their meanings. Similarly, many people today say “bad” when they mean good, etc. It seems like a pattern as old as language itself which is connected with the human capacity for irony. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-english-language/24795/18 "2000-07-10T15:29:11Z")
According to the _OED_: > [@](#): > > The precise development of the very divergent senses which this word has acquired in English is not altogether clear. In many examples from the 16th and 17th centuries it is difficult to say in what particular sense the writer intended it to be taken. It goes on to list 16 quite different meanings for the word.