Changes

To this day many feel that the King James Bible is the finest English translation available, despite the antiquity of some of its terminology.  It is free from modern translations that hide the existence and wrath of Hell, for example.  But for the purposes of course, we are interested in how this was a defining moment in the development of the English language, and how the language has grown since then.

To this day many feel that the King James Bible is the finest English translation available, despite the antiquity of some of its terminology.  It is free from modern translations that hide the existence and wrath of Hell, for example.  But for the purposes of course, we are interested in how this was a defining moment in the development of the English language, and how the language has grown since then.

Discuss advantages of Modern English over other languages today, such as being phonetic, having a smaller alphabet (without super and subscribes), and working more efficiently with internet use. English's superior ability to develop (or incorporate) new words). Incorporate material from "improvements" page.

The King James Bible established a framework of knowledge of the English language, and it began to develop rapidly afterward.  English is unique in its ability to develop new words, at a rate of about 1000 new words per year.<ref>See [[Essay:Best New Conservative Words]].</ref>  English easily incorporates and adapts words from other languages, such as "detente" (French for a lessening in tensions between nations) and "tsunami" (Japanese for a massive tidal wave).

 

English has the smallest alphabet of major languages, including its lack of accented, hybrid, and pictograph characters. It helps that English is phonetic, as ancient Greek and Latin were (though English developed from German, not from Greek or Latin).

 

English features easy interchangeability of nouns, verbs, and adjectives, without much variance in form for pronouns and verbs. That promotes easy communication through brief, cryptic messages, the style preferred by electronic media.  English enjoys a powerful pipe-like quality, such that one phrase can be cut and pasted to another phrase with ease.  Computer-based cutting and pasting text works more efficiently in English than in many other languages, such as those using pictorial characters. This gives English an advantage in the internet medium, and about 80% of the internet uses English. English is now the second most widely spoken language in the world, with only Chinese dialects spoken by more people. English is overwhelmingly the second language of choice for non-English-speaking people.<ref>See Barbara Wallraff, “What Global Language?” 286 Atlantic Monthly No. 5, at 52 (Nov. 2000) (noting, inter alia, that “English is the working language of the Asian trade group ASEAN” and is also “the official language of the European Central Bank”).</ref>

 

== Test-Taking Tips ==

== Test-Taking Tips ==