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One must first establish how many words are in the current English language. But whereas many people do not count plurals, or the different tenses of verbs, simply the gerund, some do. I have adopted the first, purist approach, and counted neither plurals, nor tenses, participles, etc. On this basis there are some 250,000 words in the Oxford English Dictionary, which is generally accepted by scholars as the definitive reference.
The composition of modern English is as follows:
- French (langue d'oïl): 41%
- "Native" English: 33%
- Latin: 15%
- Old Norse: 2%
- Dutch: 1%
- Other: 10%
It is clear that this composition is by its very nature a rough guide, since the percentages given add up to 102%!! But it is a useful rule of thumb. "Native" English is also an interesting component. What does it include? Linquistically English is a Germanic language of the Indo-European group. Does "native" English reflect that? After all the very term 'Anglo-Saxon' is derived from German. And what about the historical implications? For in the time when Anglo-Saxon was in use, not all of the inhabitants of England spoke it. In the North, Northumbrian was spoken. English evolved from Anglo-Saxon/Northumbrian, to Old English, including Norse and German derivatives, to middle English (with it's French and Latin influences), to Modern English which dates from Tudor times. The number of pure Anglo-Saxon words is therefore impossible to calculate.
Sourceen.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_English_words_of_Anglo-Saxon_origin.
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∙ 11y ago
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What English words are derived from ancient Greek God Hermes?
Messenger god
What language made its way into the English language through the roman empire?
Latin derived words made their way into English through the Roman empire.
What is the Origin of the word currency?
Jordan Maxwell (American historian) says that the word currency is derived from the words 'current' and 'sea.' The banks control the flow of money as river banks control the flow of the river current to the sea.
How did the Greeks influence our language?
A great number of English words is derived from Greek ones. To quote Wikipedia, "In a typical English dictionary of 80,000 words, which corresponds very roughly to the vocabulary of an educated English speaker, about 5% of the words are borrowed from Greek directly, and about 25% indirectly" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_words_of_Greek_origin). A wide variety of words like cudos, philosophy and butter are used in the everyday English, as well as the science fields.
What have we borrowed from Greece?
Many of your assumptions about English are just plain wrong. No language borrows needlessly from another language. There are variations in meaning. "Weekend" does not mean the same as "fin de semaine." So the French people despite threats from the French language academy still use "weekend." England was conquered by Normans from France in 1066. Latin based words came into English through French. In 1066, what science was there ? English spelling has never been regular. The most common words are irregular. be/am/is/are, was/were, been English is the language of science precisely because English has such a variety of words. English has the largest vocabulary of any language. Sailing, shipping and navigation do not mean the same thing. sail and ship are anglo-saxon words navigation is Latin based What are good anglo-saxon words for vocabulary( Latin) or etymology (Greek) that conveys the same meanings? What are good Anglosaxon words that convey meanings of the word philosophy?
What are some English words derived from French words?
bonjour
What are the words derived from European languages?
Pretty much all of the words in the English language were derived from European languages.
What English words are derived from the word polis?
Some English words derived from the Greek word "polis" include politics, police, and metropolis.
What is the origin of the word cough?
From the Middle High German "Kuchen" which translates as to breathe heavily, to the French Old English "Cohhian" which means to shout, to the Middle English "Coughen". it is from these words the current word "Cough" was derived.
What English words or expressions were derived from the Greek God Hippocrates?
Do no harm.
How many English words are derived from Greek and Latin language?
35000
What English words were derived from the Greek God Ares?
nathan, and clayton
What is one source that English words derived?
the names of the authors of roman myths
What are some English words derived from Persephone?
Possible "phone", meaning voice.
Did ancient Greeks use the same words as Americans?
In a word, no, although many modern English words are derived from ancient Greek words, and both Greek and English are ultimately derived from the same ancient language, known today as Proto-Indo-European.
Give me some English words derived from the latin word primus'?
primary, prime
Does conadian have to be capitalized?
I assume you mean "Canadian". In English, words derived from a country are capitalized.
