(no subject)

[owl]

I was reading something recently about the lost languages of Britain, and I was interested by the Romance language that Latin-as-spoken-by-the-British would have evolved into. What would it have ended up like if the Saxons hadn't invaded? Like French, or different? All the names would be totally different as well. It wouldn't be called England, for a start...

I wonder has another written an alternative history about this. Huh, other people consider AHs where the Confederates won, I think about languages.

x-posted to linguphiles

Comments

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't have ended up like French because French was more heavily influenced by Germanic languages than the other Romance languages. Probably something like Gallego. It might have come out a bit different, as Latin as spoken and written in Britain seems to have been more educated, less (in every sense) vulgar than the rest of Western Europe.

That, of course, might mean that they learned it at school rather than speaking it at home except in the major cities, in which case the main language that would have developed would have been the one that did develop - Welsh.

[owl]

I suppose there are also the Normans and the Vikings to invade, or not. And then the effect on Irish and Scots Gaelic if the neighbouring language was Welsh or whatever, not English...

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Yes, but how are you going to stop them invading? (Best answer I can think of is 'greatly increased offer of pay and benefits in the Varangian Guard)

[owl]

LOLZ

Rocks fall, everyone dies? :-P