The Allusionist 18. Fix part II
Sep 9, 2015
Michael Catlin, co-founder of WordSet and podcast co-host on We Have a Microphone, and Hampton Catlin, co-founder of WordSet, explore Euro-English as used by EU technocrats. They highlight quirky Latinate forms like planification and new verbing such as to valorize. They trace how bureaucracy, literalism and false friends shape a distinct, evolving variety of English.
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Euro-English As A New Variety
- Euro-English is a distinct, emerging variant shaped by EU technocrats who use English as a lingua franca.
- Their literal, formal choices create new words and usages that diverge from native English norms.
Planification Example
- Hampton shares examples like "planification" as a Euro-English innovation derived from French/Latinate patterns.
- He presents it as a direct replacement for simple "planning" used in EU contexts.
Literal Verbing In Euro-English
- Euro-English often verbs nouns not previously used as verbs, showing literal interpretation of roots.
- This includes uses like "to badge," "to visa," and broadened senses for "actor."