How many current English words are derived from Anglo-Saxon?

Answer 1

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.