Having grown up with it, I feel like I have a special connection with the English language.
I love its versatility and its adaptiveness. I love how there are Anglo-Saxon words and Latin words that mean the same thing yet are used in markedly different ways, and for different reasons (I'll get to that in a future post). I love how it continues to evolve by appropriating words from every culture in which it comes into contact. I also love how other languages can return the favour by adapting English words for their own purposes.
I'm intrigued by how English speakers the world over have arrived at subtle spelling variations (notice how I spelled favour the Canadian/British way?). I also marvel at how we have given certain objects different names depending on where we are (something else I'll address down the road).
Since my knowledge of French is limited, and my knowledge of other languages even more so, the question I often ask myself is this: Do I love language because I love English, or do I love language because I love language?
I know I won't have a lot of followers for this, my very first post, but I would love to hear from any native speakers of other languages. Tell me what you love about your language. We might find a brand-new way to build bridges to all the wondrous cultures that define our collective humanness.
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