Summary

In "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English," John McWhorter presents a compelling and unconventional narrative of the English language, challenging traditional views that focus primarily on vocabulary acquisition. McWhorter, a linguist, argues that the evolution of English is as much a story of grammatical transformation as it is about the adoption of new words. He posits that English is unique among its Germanic relatives due to significant grammatical simplifications and peculiar developments, attributing these changes to the influence of Vikings and Celts.

McWhorter debunks the long-held belief that the transition from Old English to Modern English was merely a process of adding and shedding words. Instead, he emphasizes the dramatic loss of grammatical complexity, particularly compared to languages like German and Swedish. The book highlights the puzzling nature of certain grammatical features in English, such as the use of 'do' in questions and negative statements and the prevalence of the '-ing' progressive form, which are uncommon in other Germanic languages. These peculiarities, McWhorter suggests, are not coincidental but rather the result of external influences.

A central argument in the book is the impact of Celtic languages, specifically Welsh and Cornish, on the structure of English. McWhorter contends that the presence of 'meaningless do' and the verb-noun progressive construction in English are direct copies from Celtic languages. He challenges the traditional assumption that the Celtic population was largely exterminated by Germanic invaders, arguing instead that Celts and Germanics coexisted and intermingled, leading to linguistic hybridity. This perspective reframes the history of English, portraying it as a language 'bastardized' by Celts, a notion that has been largely dismissed or ignored by mainstream English historical linguistics.

The book further explores the influence of Scandinavian Vikings on the simplification of English grammar. McWhorter suggests that the Vikings, as non-native speakers, struggled with the complexities of Old English, leading to a gradual erosion of grammatical features. This 'battering' of English by Viking invaders resulted in a language that was structurally less complicated than its Germanic relatives. The author supports this claim by examining the dialects of Old English, noting that simplification occurred first in the north, where Viking settlement was most concentrated.

McWhorter also addresses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which posits that a language's grammar shapes its speakers' thoughts and culture. He critiques this idea, arguing that it fails to account for the historical transformations of English grammar. The book challenges the notion that Modern English speakers are inherently different in their thinking or perception compared to speakers of Old English. Instead, McWhorter emphasizes that languages change through contact and simplification, not necessarily reflecting deeper cultural shifts.

Finally, the book delves into the pre-English history of Proto-Germanic, suggesting that even before the emergence of Old English, Proto-Germanic itself was influenced by other languages, possibly Semitic ones. This 'bastardization' of Proto-Germanic further undermines the idea of a pure, untainted origin for English. Ultimately, McWhorter's "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue" presents a provocative and revisionist account of the English language, emphasizing the role of contact, simplification, and external influences in shaping its unique grammatical structure.