could total isolation be the reason English didn't change in 2000 years on Novus?

[slimjim]

I figure it's OK for me to bring this up because the show actually did for once

[LtColCarter]

I figure it's OK for me to bring this up because the show actually did for once

If you consider that English changed dramatically on Earth...it makes one wonder. However, on Earth we have other languages to influence the development of English.

[Tanith0709]

Spoken English didn't appear to have changed much, but written English did.

I think it was in 'Blockage' where they went to a planet which Novas inhabitants had abandoned, which had buildings with fractured English signs on them.

[LtColCarter]

Spoken English didn't appear to have changed much, but written English did.

I think it was in 'Blockage' where they went to a planet which Novas inhabitants had abandoned, which had buildings with fractured English signs on them.

Spoken English hasn't changed much??

This is the Lord's Prayer in Old English (1000 AD)

[LtColCarter]

The Lord's Prayer in Middle English (Chaucer's time...)


In just 1000 years...the English language has changed tremendously.

[escyos]

Maybe English was all that they were able to hold onto for so long and thus was the thing most kept the same.

[LT. COL. John Sheppard]

it did tho remember written on paper was Atak from memory

[LtColCarter]

it did tho remember written on paper was Atak from memory

I'm remembering something similar.

[LT. COL. John Sheppard]

Blockade i think it was SGU S2 one of the last ones

[slimjim]

Spoken English hasn't changed much??

This is the Lord's Prayer in Old English (1000 AD)

he was taking about novus not earth

[Ukko]

he was taking about novus not earth

And? Language would still change and grow. The reason English didnt change, was because the TPTB were not going to create an entirely new one or theorise about the possible evolution of the English Language 2000 years down the line. The written stuff we saw was (most likely) to at least give the feel of change in all that time without making it completely alien, because alien is probably what you'd get in 2000 years. Isolation will have the effect that foreign words wont find their way in (though with the Chinese toast i'd say some foreign words would have found their way in, especially with whatever languages the LA folks spoke) like they do with our languages on Earth. The English language would still grow and change.

[LtColCarter]

And? Language would still change and grow. The reason English didnt change, was because the TPTB were not going to create an entirely new one or theorise about the possible evolution of the English Language 2000 years down the line. The written stuff we saw was (most likely) to at least give the feel of change in all that time without making it completely alien, because alien is probably what you'd get in 2000 years. Isolation will have the effect that foreign words wont find their way in (though with the Chinese toast i'd say some foreign words would have found their way in, especially with whatever languages the LA folks spoke) like they do with our languages on Earth. The English language would still grow and change.

Thank you...

[Gen. Chris]

Knew this was one of slim's threads when I saw it on the front page...lol


As others have said, spoken English remained the same, but it was clear that written changed a bit. It seemed as if they simplified the spelling.

[LtColCarter]

Knew this was one of slim's threads when I saw it on the front page...lol


As others have said, spoken English remained the same, but it was clear that written changed a bit. It seemed as if they simplified the spelling.

Yes, that is what happened, but its a little unrealistic.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

The spoken English on Novus and on Novan Colony worlds didn't change for the same reason so many aliens in SG-1 and SGA spoke English. It's a pain to show different languages on shows like this. The language spoken by the Novans would be unrecognizable to us after 2000 years. The creators simply couldn't show this as it would have been a pain in the ass.

[Gen. Chris]

Yes, that is what happened, but its a little unrealistic.

To be fair, so is the franchise as a whole...

Spoiler:

or is it...

[QuantumIguana]

Do we have any examples of how a language changes when a group is in isolation? One reason that languages change is contact with other languages. Novus was isolated form change, but that's not the only thing that causes language changes. The English of Novus would likely lose a lot of words. Many words just wouldn't be relevant to anything on Novus. If a word isn't used, it will be lost. The meaning and connotation of words will change over time.

[slimjim]

one of the for mentioned pages
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...b/12280924.jpg

I'm surprised given how fast a drone attack (or "ATAK" ) is that they had enough time and organisation left to keep printing the news paper

[LtColCarter]

Do we have any examples of how a language changes when a group is in isolation? One reason that languages change is contact with other languages. Novus was isolated form change, but that's not the only thing that causes language changes. The English of Novus would likely lose a lot of words. Many words just wouldn't be relevant to anything on Novus. If a word isn't used, it will be lost. The meaning and connotation of words will change over time.

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/langevol.html

[KEK]

To answer the OP, probably not, but the time it would take to come up with a new dialect with it's own unique accent and then teach it to a few guest stars that would only be in a couple of episodes would probably not be worth it unfortunately.