EURISH.

EURISH. This article by Michael Skapinker in the Financial Times/ Straits Times (February 14, 2018) discusses the theory that “continental Europeans are developing their own variety of English, a process that will accelerate when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union….” The result would be a form of English like American or Australian English. Skapinker calls the current English spoken by continentals “Eurish”.

Skapinker gives examples of current Eurish grammar:

* European uncountable noun – singular in native-speaker English but plural in Eurish: “We have a lot of informations”.

*”I will answer to your question”.

* “I am coming from Spain” rather than “I come from Spain”.

There are conflicting predictions. One is that because there are some 24 other first languages in the EU, there will be little agreement on alternative formulations, and no one alternative version of English will develop. The second is based on history in countries with multiple languages: multiple versions of English will develop, as happened in India, Singapore, Nigeria and South Africa.

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