That ranking is actually the quality of the technology environment, not the quantity of new technologies created ... just to be clear.pytrin wrote:First of all, most technologies aren't made in English speaking countries. The U.S was actually ranked seventh in the world last year, with the top 6 all non-English speaking countries. Read here for some more details - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6502725.stm
Almost every language has this but English, which is an often overlooked but important fact. Most languages have a prescriptive grammar -- meaning that there is a standards body of some kind for the language. Words are officially accepted into the language.pytrin wrote:Second, every developed nation has a linguistics committee that is usually a collabration between the top educational institutes, and that committee is responsible for constantly updating the language with new or modified words and pronunciations. Most words are accepted into the language after being introduced naturally (a scientific breakthrough and a cultural phenomena are two good examples), while others are created to fill in voids where the language is insufficient.
English on the other had is a proscriptive grammar. Technically any utterance by a native English speaker is correct. That may be hard to believe, but in English the speakers define the language. That is the interesting thing and the heart of this discussion. As more people around the world become what could be considered native English speakers, they contribute to the language each time they speak.