Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is etymology?
What is etymology?
Where do approximately 29% of foreign words in English come from?
Where do approximately 29% of foreign words in English come from?
What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
What is the Latin origin of the word 'circle'?
What is the Latin origin of the word 'circle'?
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Which language makes up roughly 6% of the English vocabulary?
Which language makes up roughly 6% of the English vocabulary?
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What is the best way to understand how a language works and ease future learning according to the text?
What is the best way to understand how a language works and ease future learning according to the text?
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What is etymology?
What is etymology?
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What percentage of foreign words in English have Latin origins?
What percentage of foreign words in English have Latin origins?
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What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
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Which language does the word 'circle' have roots in?
Which language does the word 'circle' have roots in?
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What does the Latin word 'fortis' mean?
What does the Latin word 'fortis' mean?
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How often does the Oxford English Dictionary add new words and phrases?
How often does the Oxford English Dictionary add new words and phrases?
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What is the study of word origins called?
What is the study of word origins called?
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Where do approximately 29% of foreign words in English originate from?
Where do approximately 29% of foreign words in English originate from?
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What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
What is the origin of the word 'blare'?
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What two languages does the word 'circle' have roots in?
What two languages does the word 'circle' have roots in?
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What does the Latin word 'fortis' mean?
What does the Latin word 'fortis' mean?
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How often does the Oxford English Dictionary add new words and phrases?
How often does the Oxford English Dictionary add new words and phrases?
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Study Notes
Etymology of English Words
- Many English words are derived from words in other languages, such as Olde English, Latin, and French.
- Etymology is the study of word origins, offering insights into the diverse words in the English language.
Language Origins
- Approximately 29% of foreign words come from France, including words like ambulance, parachute, and sauce.
- Another 29% have Latin origins, such as agenda and data.
- 26% of the English language has Germanic origins, including words like dollar, muffin, and kindergarten.
- The Greek language makes up roughly 6% of the English vocabulary.
Examples of Word Origins
- The word blare originated from the Middle Dutch word blaren, meaning to shout.
- The word Circle is derived from both Latin and Greek, with the Latin word circus meaning circle and the Greek word kirkos meaning ring.
- The word force is from the Latin word fortis, meaning strong.
Learning and Growing Language
- Learning the origin of every new word acquired is essential to understanding how the language works and to ease future learning.
- English is constantly changing and growing, with the Oxford English Dictionary adding around 500 new words and phrases every year.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the origins of English words and how they came to be part of the language. Explore interesting facts about word derivations and etymology. Learn about the influence of Old English, other old languages, and Latin in shaping the English vocabulary.
