LL-L "History" 2005.05.11 (12) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 11.MAY.2005 (12) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "History" 2005.05.11 (03) [E/German]


This question has been debated with much vigour, including on an Old English
site I'm a member of.  One explanation is that the Germanic invaders were in
fact small minority in their newly founded kingdoms, and that since most of
the population was of Christian Romano-British origins, there wasn't
actually much converting to do.

Another suggestion is that the "formal" Germanic faith (Woden, Thunor etc.)
never had much of a grip on the lower classes who were far more concerned
with sprites and boggarts and things they felt could directly hurt them.
The new Germanic ruling classes in Britain saw the potential value of being
part of the political-religious fold, especially as they watched Frankish
power and influence grow, so they simply changed out of expedience.
Meanwhile the grass-roots stuck with their spooks and boggarts well into the
20th C in some cases.

A possible reason why we are now  "English" here and not "Saxish" is that
the Christianised  people in Britain wanted to distance themselves from the
overtly heathern Saxons back in the old homeland.

Paul

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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "History" 2005.05.11 (09) [E]



Heather wrote:

The amount of underlying
Celtic words ( and grammar) that lurks underneath the surface of modern
English is quite amazing Yes << Oes ??? for starters and the use of the
continuous tenses I am going I was going etc...

These examples aside, I would say the lack of Celtic words and grammar is
amazing, if the Germanic incomers were truly a minority.  Where we know that
Germanic invaders were an elite minority (Franks in France, Visigoths and
Vandals in Spain, Goths and Lombards in Italy), they were speaking the local
language in one form another within a few generations.

(Health Warning, this is known as the "Topic of Doom" on Tha Engliscan
Gesithas site, as it seems to generate passions out of all proportion!)

Paul

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