Why does English have no regulatory body?
English must be the only major world language that doesn't have a regulatory body. You may argue that English is spoken so much around the world that it would be impossible to regulate, but languages like French and Portuguese are also spoken widely around the world, yet these two languages are regulated from Paris and Lisbon respectively.
Is the lack of a regulatory body for English a result of the English's over-whelming confidence in their language and it's place in the world, or is it more telling of their lack of pride and respect for their language and culture?
It seems the English are completely unbothered by vandalism of their language that other countries can't bear to see happen. Even the Dutch language has a regulatory board, and they hardly care about their own language or culture.
I think that Germanic speakers have a more liberal and organic approach to things that the Latins who are more prone to regulating and centralising. This can be seen in politics and religion too. Take for instance Catholic religion, predominant in Latin countries. It is organised and centralised from Rome. This contrast to Germanic countries, mostly Protestant, where there is not a visible religious head and thus it leads to multiple small churches and sects. Are the Protestant less faithful to the Bible just because there is not a Pope who tells them what they have to believe or not? I don't think so. With languages it happens the same.
US perspective:
Does the US constitution give the Federal government (Congress) the power to regulate the language (by establishing a regulatory commission)? Can they even mandate English as official? Is this right reserved for the states?
Does the first Amendment apply only to the content of (political) speech, or also to the grammar? (i.e., do we have the right to speak with non-standard grammar in the US, or can the government force us to speak in a certain style?)
English is such a mess of a language that any attempt to regulate it would be a waste of time.
I'm not trying to appear derisive, but that's the harsh truth. Shakespeare knew it, that's why he spit on any feeble regulation attempts.
He dicho.
When regulating a language, you actually regulate the speakers and writers of that language. Do we need to be regulated?
Regulatory bodies are for fags.
<<English is such a mess of a language that any attempt to regulate it would be a waste of time. >>
Most major languages are a mess. I assume you are a Spanish speaker, Spanish is even more of a mess than English, all the different Spanish speaking countries actually have completely different words to refer to concepts, while in all the varities of English there is just one, differing vocabulary in English is much rarer than Spanish. The same is also true for Portuguese and French. Yet still all three of these languages are centrally regulated.
English could be regulated from London just as Spanish is from Madrid, or French is from Paris. The real reason is many Anglos in positions of authority aren't very authoritarian and don't like to be too imposing on people or tell them what to do. Whereas the Romance types are more inclinded to shout orders at people.
Personally, as an Englishman I wish we were more authoritarian and arrogant about our language, but then again I am much more right-wing than your average Brit.
Trainspotting movie (UK English) was subtitled in America, whereas Spanish movies from Latin America are never subtitled in Spain and vice-versa. I don't think that cohesion of Spanish is due to Spanish Academia but more the fact that Spanish is inherently very simple , at least phonetically and this prevents the language to be pronounced differently. Compare that to English where all words have literally dozens of different pronunciations.
because we suck.
i should be the regulatory body. i'd fix it, cuz it iz BROKE
<< Spanish is even more of a mess than English, all the different Spanish speaking countries actually have completely different words to refer to concepts >>
I beg to differ.
Except for "coger", which means grab in Spain and fornicate in South America, there are very few words that are not common to all Spanish speakers.
Spanish TV is full of South American telenovelas and no one has any trouble understanding.
And the Internet is bringing all these speakers closer.
But in all fairness, the Real Academia (the regulatory corpse) can only take very little credit for this union.
<< The real reason is many Anglos in positions of authority aren't very authoritarian and don't like to be too imposing on people or tell them what to do. >>
I beg to differ again, but my reply would be off-topic.
I wonder when Spanish Academia will recognise "super" as legitimate particle to express superlative. "Estoy super cansado". These expressions are quite frequent among European Spanish speakers. This example proves how conservative and renuent Academiae are to accept changes in languages as valid , not just wrong use of language because they break from old standards.
I wonder when Spanish Academia will recognise "super" as legitimate particle to express superlative. "Estoy super cansado". These expressions are quite frequent among European Spanish speakers. This example proves how conservative and renuent Academiae are to accept changes in languages as valid , not just wrong use of language because they break from old standards.
Trainspotting movie (UK English)
Yes English, but the guys in the film had scottish accents, thats why they had it subtitled for the Americans. Some people find it so hard to understand the Scots accent.