BORROWING WORDSBORROWING WORDS

KOSOLAP ALLAKOSOLAP ALLA

• More people speak Chinese than any other language.But English is second.About 325 million people speak English as a first language,or’mother tongue’.Another 325 million people speak English as a second language.And of course there are many millions of learners of English.

English has taken or “borrowed” words from English has taken or “borrowed” words from many other languages: from Latin and many other languages: from Latin and French, from Greek and Arabic. Here is an French, from Greek and Arabic. Here is an example of how French words came into example of how French words came into English.English.

France ruled England in the eleventh century France ruled England in the eleventh century At that time, the English were farmers. They At that time, the English were farmers. They looked after the animals. But they were too looked after the animals. But they were too poor to eat them. Only the rulers, the French, poor to eat them. Only the rulers, the French, were rich enough to eat meat. Because of were rich enough to eat meat. Because of this, the word for the animals is English. But this, the word for the animals is English. But the word for the food is French.the word for the food is French.

In English, the largest group of borrowed In English, the largest group of borrowed terms came from Norman-French and terms came from Norman-French and together with Old English became what we together with Old English became what we call Middle English.call Middle English.

boeuf

COW

BEEF

Look at these example

SHEEP

MUTTON

mouton

These words come from other These words come from other countries.countries.

India jungle

Greece telescopeGreece telescope

France menuFrance menu

Arabia sugarArabia sugar

Many words sound almost the same in Many words sound almost the same in many languages.many languages. For example: For example:Soap (English) savon (French) sabun Soap (English) savon (French) sabun (Arabic) sabu ( Thai) sahpoonee (Greek)(Arabic) sabu ( Thai) sahpoonee (Greek)

Some English words are used in Some English words are used in other countries, such as:other countries, such as:

Stop

ParkingParking

FootballFootball

JeansJeans

MORE FACTS ABOUT ENGLISH:MORE FACTS ABOUT ENGLISH:Of the world’s mail is written in English.Of the world’s mail is written in English.80% of computer information is in English.80% of computer information is in English.English is the official or semi-official language English is the official or semi-official language

in 60 countries.in 60 countries.English has a very large vocabulary – maybe English has a very large vocabulary – maybe

the largest in the world.the largest in the world.The following sentence contains all 26 letters The following sentence contains all 26 letters

of the alphabet: "The quick brown fox jumps over the of the alphabet: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." This sentence is often used to test lazy dog." This sentence is often used to test typewriters or keyboards.typewriters or keyboards.

The largest English-language dictionary is The largest English-language dictionary is the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary, with the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary, with 21,728 pages. 21,728 pages.

4

3

English is the main language of English is the main language of these:these:

Airport and control towers

shippingshipping

Science and technologyScience and technology

Pop musicPop music