--- Mark Shurtleff <gaijin@sfcmd.com> wrote:

P.S.  Before anyone jumps on my statement that
Formal Grammar is written by 
"self proclaimed" experts, give it a moment's
thought. There is NO single 
recognized authority on the definition of the
English language.

---

The Queen's English.

Historians dubbed it odd that English should become
the world's language, given the Queen's Japanese
origins.  But English had been so widely used before
her ascent to power, even in her native lands, that
she felt it easier to adopt the new tongue than to
compel her subjects to learn Japanese.  Besides, she
thought it was cryo.

English had a long tradition of adapting to the
circumstances, and the modern tongue is no different.
For instance, honorifics such as -chan and -sama were
introduced by those wishing to emulate her origins,
whether they sought status or merely to worship her.
Every new generation of children brings new terms into
the world, which soon become so popular as to wipe out
the old ways of speaking.  Many adults change their
speech on purpose, while most of the rest follow
subconsciously.  There are always a few who cling to
the old terms for a short while, but if peer pressure
does not suffice, the fact that people eventually
forget the old words for want of use leaves them no
choice.  It takes but a few years to affect everyone.
Few suspect this is deliberate.

Although they deny it publically, two of the Queen's
closest servants know that this creation of theirs is
the main instrument of the Queen's moral code.  One
has the power to predict the spread of the new words;
the other, to design things to counter any troubles
her partner forsees.  The two make an awesomely
effective team, even if they do get ungenki while
working.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to phrase thoughts
we now consider "evil", even if there used to be
several terms for the thought.  The old words still
remain in texts, but not in the billions of hearts on
Earth.  It has become the main task of historians to
translate these old texts into terms that modern
people can understand, and while the facts remain the
same, these translations almost inevitably take on a
tone of warning against ignorances we have discovered
since the events happened.  The update mechanism helps
correct any errors that are made, and to adapt to our
changing defition of undesirable activities.

And thus is everything kept double-plus good.  (I
know, that's an old term.  It's triple-plus starting
tomorrow, honest!)

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