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I'd say the English equivalent is PHP: a mongrel language that succeeded because it absorbed everything, where you can say things 10 different ways. Most developers know enough of the language to be conversant, making it a kind of lingua franca.

From a historical viewpoint, English is just as much a weird mishmash of everything as PHP is.

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I think you got it :), also PHP is kind of like the "fluent in english" requirement on every job post. While we're at it, what would the Lisp equivalent be?

Esperanto.

Latin

Speaking in English won't give you a heart attack.

no but living in an english speaking country will http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe-health-obesity

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