One reason why English is the Best Language in the World

Not long ago, a brother of mine had the temerity to suggest that Spanish is better than English. (In his defense, he was learning Spanish at the time and was caught up in an understandable love affair with a new language). As examples to show the absurdity of that little heresy, I cited Shakespeare and the King James Version of the Bible. Here is another prime example of why English is the Best Language in the World.

The example is the word Atonement. Now, every language that I know of has a word for atonement. In Spanish it is expiacion – expiation, a Latin word that English has also borrowed.

There are several words in English that convey part of the meaning of the Atonement, with expiation and reconciliation being the most descriptive. To expiate is to compensate or to pay for something. To reconcile is to reestablish a close relationship between – literally, if you follow the Latin etymology, to bring people back to sit together again. We recognize both of these as important parts of the Atonement. But it takes at least two words to express that.



When William Tyndale was translating the Bible in the 1500’s, he felt that there was no sufficient word to express the concept of Atonement as it was found in Hebrew. So he invented a word – at-one-ment. When it is broken down, its meaning is quite clear. This word served to communicate the concepts of reconciliation and expiation. And what a wonderful word it is – two very simple English words with a latinate ending. (Tyndale also coined the words “Passover” and “scapegoat,” as well as phrases such as “let there be light,” “my brother’s keeper,” and “it came to pass,” and “gave up the ghost.”) You won’t find a more simple, elegant, and effective way of communicating those concepts in any other language that I know of.

Summary:

1) William Tyndale = extraordinary wordsmith and reformer

2) English = the Best Language in the World