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What makes something a 'new' language?

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Reed James
Reed James
Chile
Local time: 01:52
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
Depends on how intelligible this new language is to speakers of the component languages Jul 25, 2013

There are many reasons for calling a language either new or a separate entity from other languages. For me, this really depends on how intelligible it is to speakers of related languages. If this language is just about adding words from other languages, but can basically be understood by older generations, then I would not call it a new language. If it is truly different and incomprehensible to others who do not speak it as a mother tongue, then I would call it a new language.
 
LilianNekipelov
LilianNekipelov  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 01:52
Russian to English
+ ...
Sometimes politics -- new country, new language Jul 26, 2013

just like in the case of Serbian and Croatian -- many linguists think that they are otherwise the same language. The desire to be identified with one culture, or one nation may cause a schism. (plus a few different, regional, lexical items)
 


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What makes something a 'new' language?







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