The use of ‘pronto’ in America certainly comes from Spanish heard in the southwest, yet the word was in use earlier in Britain (in a musical context), and borrowed from Italian!
Know any other examples of convergent evolution?
Speaking of language in the Old West, I always associated ‘newfangled’ with that period in a Gabby Hayes kinda way. Turns out it was used in Britain as early as the late 15th century.
Convergent Evolution
- Slava
- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Re: Convergent Evolution
Not sure I have anything to say about convergent evolution, but here's our good Dr.'s take on newfangled, from back in 2012.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
Re: Convergent Evolution
Thinking back to the ‘Old West’, it would appear that ‘savvy’ is another example, in use in England at least as early as 1686.
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