1. Simplicity and Flexibility: Jespersen saw English as a remarkably simple language, especially in its morphology (word formation). He admired its flexibility, allowing for the creation of new words and phrases easily. This was due to its relatively small number of grammatical endings compared to other languages.
2. Analytical Structure: He emphasized English's analytic nature, meaning it relies heavily on word order to convey grammatical relationships. This contrasts with synthetic languages like Latin, which use more inflections (word endings) to express grammatical functions.
3. Emphasis on Word Order: Jespersen recognized the importance of word order in English, noting its strict subject-verb-object structure. He believed this contributed to the clarity and straightforwardness of the language.
4. Use of Prepositions: He saw the extensive use of prepositions as a key feature, allowing for nuanced expression of relationships between words and phrases.
5. Pronoun System: Jespersen noted the relative simplicity of English pronouns compared to other languages, with its distinction between nominative (subject) and accusative (object) forms.
6. Influence of Germanic and Romance Languages: He acknowledged the dual influence of Germanic (Old English) and Romance (French) languages on English, resulting in a rich and varied vocabulary.
7. Development of Idioms and Slang: Jespersen recognized the constant evolution of English, including the development of idioms and slang, which enrich the language's expressiveness.
8. Its Global Influence: Though Jespersen lived in the early 20th century, he foresaw the immense influence English would have globally, becoming a major lingua franca.
It's important to remember that Jespersen's observations were based on his analysis of the English language at that time. Language continues to evolve, and newer linguistic research may reveal other salient features that weren't prominent in Jespersen's era. However, his insights still offer valuable perspectives on the fundamental characteristics of the English language.