Cogs can think.

Language is an ever-changing entity. Language morphs, changes. New words are formed, old words assume new meanings. Old sayings die out, new ones arise.

For this sole reason, complaining about language deterioration is like complaining about water being wet. English is one of the most heavily influenced languages in the world, and has been so for centuries. Due to Viking conquests, French occupation, and heavy Latin influences, about 67% of the English vocabulary is derived from languages other than (old-)English. In fact, about 1% of the English vocabulary stems from… Dutch, due to the Golden Age (1600-1700), when we basically ruled the world.

So, complaining about the purity of English, or the fact that expressions are used in the wrong contexts, is utterly pointless, and kind of hypocritical, at best. If you are so concerned over the purity of English, you better drop 67% of the words you use today.

—

As some of you may know, I now do a language study at university. English, with some social/communication sciences attached.