One of the reason English is use in a large part of the world and gaining access to many other cultures is that the basic vocabulary is very poor and easy to pick up and the other is that the language is very flexible and can make up new words as the need comes up. Most of the vocabulary coming from Latin is used by people with a good education only and are too specific to be used widely.
The Latin based languages have specific words that represent things or concepts but have a problem when new things and new concepts come up. English on the other end can take two comon words such as search and light and comunicate in a very easy and simple way the concept or object. You can not do that in Latin base languages so people adapt the English word or have to describe the object or concept.
People and languages like to simplify the way they comunicate and will use the English word if it is easier. Fighting Spanglish is good for the purity of the language but Spanglish will win in the every day life as it fills a need.
By the way I have a very good education from France and I would have to look in a dictionary to see what the word for searchlight is as well. I am sure there is one but since I do not use the word I have no idea what it is. I do not think the problem with a doctor not knowing the word for searchlight in Spanish is due to a poor education it is due to the different way people view and call things. There are many words in Spanish that are comon in the language of everyday that seems to elude English speaking people.
I am always amazed by some of the word uneducated people understand in this country as well as amazed by the poorness of their vocabulary.
I asked one of my Tzotzil friend who was selling pot holders on the street what the word was in Tzotzil and I got something like" a little piece of cloth to hold hot pots" a sure sign that the English word will prevail over the Tzotzil expression.
English does not have a word for mujer ...the word woman was "with man" originally, talking about poor vocabulary!!
(This post was edited by Vichil on Oct 18, 2009, 7:10 AM)
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Post edited by Vichil
(Enthusiast) on Oct 18, 2009, 7:10 AM
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