Python and English are meant to be general purpose languages, so they are kind of expected to be large and occasionally inconsistent. SQL is (by definition) a domain-specific language which has grown out of proportions.

Are there really any SQL libraries in the traditional sense (i.e. reusable/composable SQL code with a well specified API)? SQL "libraries" typically focus on hiding the inconsistencies and the abhorrent syntax under the carpet.

And the user base is there, mostly because of the database engine properties and features. The query language itself is just a bad side-effect. And TFA does make a point that NoSQL abandoning the underlying RDBMS model is in fact a regression.