Dear Rick,

"The Story of English" was extremely well done, and I assume the facts
were pretty accurate, but the thesis it promoted was, in my view, very
problematic. The only section I could really evaluate was on Scots (and to
some extent Gaelic), and I found it infuriating in its assumptions about the
wonderful way English supplanted them. It simply did not happen that way
nor was its priviliging welcomed.

I saw it too long ago to be specific, but I do think it was an exercise in
presumption and self congratulation that dismissed other cultures. I am
remembering my distressed reaction rather than specific examples.
Nancy
 






Date sent: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:15:47 -0500
Send reply to: [log in to unmask]
From: "Rickard Parker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Dans le Restaurant and the Commedia

> > Italian students
> > of Dante do not have much trouble with the language or grammar
> > although there are problems with some terms

> Thanks, Rick, that's really interesting. Did he say why English has
changed
> more than Italian? Or maybe it just isn't known why.

No he didn't. It was a short conversion just before getting on the boat
to visit the Dry Salvages (as I recall.)

There are many reasons why but I would not do them justice. A number of
years back PBS did a TV series called "The Story of English" that was
fascinating. They had a compagnon book also. PBS has a Adult Leaning
Series using the videos and it should be possible to find tapes in
libraries.

The following is a synopsis of the nine videos of the PBS series The Story
of English. http://homepage.mac.com/branscombcourses/HEL/story.html

PBS ALS - Guide to Courses - The Story of English
(bookmark because the course is being redone and the page is worthless
until then.)
http://www.pbs.org/als/guide/courselistings/courses/story_english/

Book info at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140154051/qid=985003885/sr=1-1/ref
=s c_b_2/107-5730034-7606159

Regards,
   Rick Parker