T&T: Anchoring and Clearing and French

[Mike Maurice]

The reason there is so much French in the English language is related to 
the Norman invasion of England in 1066. William made French the language 
of the court and it held sway until the about 1500, when the English 
began dropping French. About that time, there was a royal proclamation 
issued; that document was issued in 3 languages. There was a French 
version, a Latin one and a Middle English one. English did not become 
modern English until about the time of Elisabeth I.

When the English court's influence was replaced by the rising mercantile 
class, the merchants, who spoke English, not French; then English was 
well on its way to becoming the language of commerce; as it is today.

Seth Lerer in his book, "Inventing English" makes the point that Modern 
English crossed the line from Middle English when what we would think of 
as Pirate English began to be spoken. Shakespeare created out of thin 
air almost 6000 words and phrases which we still use today. With his 
help and some grand theft, Modern English, the Pirates English has been 
busy stealing and pirating words from nearly every language on the 
planet and making them its own.

None of this might have much to do with yachting, if it were not for the 
pirates and seamen of old, to whom we owe so much, for they contributed 
many of the words and phrases we use today.


Mike

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Capt. Mike Maurice
Beaverton Oregon(Near Portland)