A talmid muvhok of the Chofetz Chayim who spoke at my aufruf (Yiddish for being called up to the Torah), started with – “I will speak in English, although Yiddish is my own first tongue. I will do that because I heard from mt Rebbi that it isn’t the German in Yiddish that makes it a Jewish language, nor is it the Polish part. It is the lack of nevolo, usage of Chazal’s terminology, and ample reference to T’NaCH. If one speaks English in the same vein, it is just as holy a speech as the one in Yiddish. Which goy can comprehend a discussion spoken in English by a talmid chochom? And THIS is what makes any language holy.” Actually, this is exactly how R’ Hirsch explains “shelaw shinu es leshawnom”.
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