# Why is English so stupid?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-english-so-stupid/115534
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 23, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-english-so-stupid/115534 "2002-06-23T04:31:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2002, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-english-so-stupid/115534/41 "2002-06-30T13:58:22Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Triskadecamus \*
> \*\*Governing bodies don’t create a universal language. It’s been tried with Latin, French, Esperanto, and probably others I know nothing about. \*\*
What governing body tried Esperanto? None that I know of.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-english-so-stupid/115534/42 "2002-06-30T15:33:01Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by E72521 \*
> **When I visited the Netherlands, I recall hearing mostly the american dialect, but reading mostly british spellings.**
Accurate description, that’s exactly how it is. Also, bear in mind that the country gets its fair share of American tourists. Yet, it’s the Queen’s English in school.
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> \*\*Now that I have given it more thought, it would be interesting to know how spanish speakers in the west feel about europeon spanish. It would seem the Spaniards are probably in the minority, but is their dialect considered the standard? \*\*
From what I understand, e.g. Mexicans think of “European” Spanish that it is a tad stiff, a bit archaic - Mexican has a lot of slang woven into it. Probably very similar to how Americans regard the Queen’s English. So, in Mexican schools, do the kids get “Mexican” Spanish? Good question.
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