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that's mean! Now I won't tell you!

Another explaination could be that the US was populated (later) by Europeans who didn't have English as their native tongue. We know that fellow countrymen tended to stick together. Maybe their native tongue influenced their pronounciation of English words.

A side note: Theories are all we have, but alas, humans are really a bunch of such unimaginative creatures. Think: Why do "all" aliens in Hollywood have two eyes, a head, a mouth in their 'faces' and so on? It's about lack of imagination. So, if the reason is something we never even heard about, then we cannot guaranty our theories.

I've got a lot of imagination. Not 'bout that now.


"All" Aliens in hollywood are primates cause humans think they're the center of the universe. And they also think aliens can survive on earth and so on. They shouldn't be able to! And they shouldn't be carbon-based either, sulphur based bakteries are found in the atmosphere and in some mountains. What if they evolved? That was a bit random but you can probably translate it.

edit: btw, 'alas', long time since I heard that word, it's kinda old and dying out huh?

Alas is a good little word still in need, and it saves you some typing as well

but you don't speak to your friends (assuming you have some) in real life saying 'alas' huh?
Edit: If you're english

You could, if that would make a point or statement itself. See, comunication is also about the words' effect.
Edit: To me the word 'alas' is sort of 'looking back at what's lost makes me sad' kind of word, thus adding a touch of 'sadness'.

aha, kinda smart there ...

A little story:
A friend of mine (yes i have atleast two) once (when we were young) came up woth an alien specie on a planet 400 times as big as Earth, and everyone on that planet spoke the same tounge with the same accent. They'd only have on language in their entire age. I told him it was idiotic but he didn't listen ...

Now im off to a b-day party! see ya!

edit: btw, 'alas', long time since I heard that word, it's kinda old and dying out huh?

o/ I use that word occasionally, along with a few others that are said to be "old and dead" ... erm like 'tis, not because I am overly English or posh .... just well ... because

kewangji wrote: "When a language is pretty used to something, it evolves more and more words for it. In example: The Escimoes have around 50 different words for snow and ice.

No

Isil, I'm sorry. Forgive me. But the second part is right!

I read the article on wiki, but I'm not sure about all this. I mean, I'd say that a prefix or suffix makes new words out of the root. Sure, the new word is derived from the root, but it's spoken and written differently for a reason. If 'wet snow' was a single word I'd say it was a different word than just 'snow'. So now you would have two distinct words for snow. One meaning wet snow and another meaning snow in general.

my word for snow is "pukeywhitesh%#". add that one to your list

Added.

How many words do Canadians have for moose?

Also, Isil, you fucking spammer! My link to wikipedia made that one oblivious and I was drunk goddammit! (sorry).

Anyway, I like Bunny's theory on the Scottish accent versus South American speach. But how do you explain the french? They usually speak very very quickly (in the media anyway), whereas not a lot of Dutch do the same.
Another example is people from Morocco: they talk at insane speeds, yet temperature is fairly high, and it lacks industrialisation overall.

That brings me to some other suggestion, wouldn't our supposed 'hasty' society force us all to eventually speak faster etc.?
It is true that especially kids these days have come up with especially economical and short ways of writing stuff (sms-/msn-language) Maybe that's something to think about.

I think the internet and chatting isn't a great place for some young people because of that.

I find it sad that a lot of little pre-school aged kids are being brought up listening to "aint it", "aks him", etc. Then when they get into grade 1 and further and taught proper grammar, thier minds are already fed such dummy language.
I'm with Bill Cosby on this one.