Blending and Segregation

Rant - Is it Klingon or Middle Earth?

Is it language that identifies us, controls us, and defines how we are seen?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But languages around the world have strayed far from their original forms.

Take the English of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Dickens. Each marks a clear evolutionary shift in the structure and soul of the language. Few recognize just how deeply Latin and French have shaped English, turning it into a linguistic cousin to many across the globe.

As centuries have carved transformations in history, so too have oceans and migrations reshaped tongues.

So, to the crux of this post.

What is English? It is a universally accepted, semi-functional system of communication—adaptable, mutable, and far from rigid. It’s not a sacred, unchanging code. And the same could be said of Portuguese.

With waves of migration and an onslaught of global entertainment, we are rebuilding Babel. And yes—bear with me here—the tower is wobbling.

My unwavering belief is this: nations must accept the inevitable. The Portuguese spoken in Brazil only resembles that of Portugal. It has diverged so far, so fast, that it deserves to be called what it is: Brazilian. Most of its formal structures survive only in academic circles, while its day-to-day usage is wild, creative, and forged by people who were often brought here against their will, forced to learn and use the language without adequate institutional support.

The United States? The same story. What is called “English” there should honestly be relabeled “American.” Through both stubborn divergence and educational neglect, the language has mutated. Cambridge Grammar? Forgotten. Vocabulary and syntax mutate faster than spellcheck can adapt.

This isn’t a condemnation. It’s a call to scholars and educators: if the language has changed, name it accordingly.

I understand that linguistically speaking, naming conventions aren't as simple as I am trying to make them.

But hey, let’s stop pretending.

In England, we speak English.
In the U.S., we speak American.
In Portugal, Portuguese.
In Brazil, Brazilian.

Wouldn’t that just make things easier for everyone?

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📚 Footnotes / References source ChatGPT

1. Language Evolution – Chaucer to Dickens:

   • Crystal, David. The Stories of English. Penguin, 2004.

   • Chaucer’s Middle English (14th century) differs dramatically from Shakespeare’s Early Modern English (16th–17th century), which again differs from Dickens’ Victorian English (19th century).

2. Latin and French Influences on English:

   • Baugh, Albert C. and Thomas Cable. A History of the English Language, Routledge, 2013.

   • Post-1066 Norman rule injected large amounts of French vocabulary into English, especially in law, governance, and culture.

3. Brazilian vs. European Portuguese:

   • Azevedo, Milton M. Portuguese: A Linguistic Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2005.

   • Differences span phonology, verb usage, pronouns (e.g., você vs. tu), and regional vocabulary. The divergence is deep enough that they are taught as separate standards.

4. American English Divergence:

   • Mencken, H.L. The American Language, 1919.

   • Noah Webster’s spelling reforms in the 19th century (e.g., honor, theater) aimed to forge a distinct national identity through language.

5. Mutual Intelligibility and Political Naming:

   • Trudgill, Peter. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, Penguin, 2000.

   • “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” – Max Weinreich (often cited to highlight the political nature of language classification).

6. Migration and Language Shifts in Brazil:

   • Skidmore, Thomas. Brazil: Five Centuries of Change, Oxford University Press, 1999.

   • Brazil’s linguistic landscape was shaped by a mix of indigenous displacement, African enslavement, and large waves of European and Asian immigration.

7. Globalization and Language Fragmentation ("New Babel"):

   • Crystal, David. English as a Global Language, Cambridge University Press, 2003.

   • The rise of English as a global lingua franca is causing local dialects to shift, blend, or disappear—creating both convergence and confusion.