Languages are never “pure”

Studying linguistics makes you see languages differently.

We often say that Spanish, French or Italian “come from Latin”. But that’s not exactly true.

They didn’t develop from Classical Latin — the one used in books and speeches. They evolved from Vulgar Latin — the everyday spoken language of ordinary people — mixed with local dialects.

For example, French didn’t just grow out of Latin. It developed on the territory of Gaul, where people spoke Celtic languages before the Romans arrived (substrate), and later it was influenced by Germanic tribes like the Franks (superstrate).

In linguistics: Substrate — the language that was there first. Superstrate — the language that came later and influenced it.

Languages are layers of history. They’re not “pure” — they’re stories of contact, migration, and culture.

And that’s what makes them beautiful.

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