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A language like a set of building blocks. (feddit.org)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/memes@lemmy.world
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[–] 2 points 10 months ago (3 children)

All languages borrow, including German. English is not at all weird in this way.

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  • [+] 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)
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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago* (1 child)

    English does have an above-average percentage of loanwords, but not the highest. Armenian and Romani are over 90% borrowings, for example.

    Also, note that "smorgasbord" has undergone significant phonological adaptation in its borrowing to fit English's phonotactics - it's definitely not borrowed as-is.

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