diff --git a/src/Language.cpp b/src/Language.cpp
index 04de993ebd..ae9de0d63f 100644
--- a/src/Language.cpp
+++ b/src/Language.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ namespace lyx {
 Languages languages;
 Language ignore_lang;
 Language latex_lang;
-Language const * english_language;
 Language const * default_language;
 Language const * ignore_language = &ignore_lang;
 Language const * latex_language = &latex_lang;
@@ -86,9 +85,6 @@ void Languages::read(FileName const & filename)
 			default_language = &(*languagelist.begin()).second;
 		LYXERR0("Using \"" << default_language->lang() << "\" instead!");
 	}
-	english_language = getLanguage("english");
-	if (!english_language)
-		english_language = default_language;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/Language.h b/src/Language.h
index 02919cc406..f7ff5f2891 100644
--- a/src/Language.h
+++ b/src/Language.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ private:
 
 extern Languages languages;
 extern Language const * default_language;
-extern Language const * english_language;
 extern Language const * ignore_language;
 extern Language const * latex_language;