French Influence on English Cuisine

French Influence on the English Language

• The Norman Conquest of 1066 led to French becoming the language of the English court, parliament, church, and educational institutions.
• French influence on English vocabulary was significant, especially in government and administration:
  • Words related to governance: crown, state, government, govern, reign, realm, sovereign, country, minister, council, authority, and parliament.
  • Words related to feudal system: fief, feudal, vassel, Liege.
  • Words related to nobility: prince, peer, duke, duchess, viscount, baron.

Legal and Religious Influences

• French influence extended to legal and religious domains:
  • Words related to law and justice: justice, just, judge, jury, court, defendant, plea, traitor, injury.
  • Words related to religion: religion, theology, service, sermon, baptism, prayer, preach, altar, angel.

Culinary and Leisure Influences

• French influence on English cuisine:
  • Words related to food: beef, veal, mutton, venison, sauce, boil, fry, toast, roast, soup, jelly, pastry.
• French refinement and elegance influenced English words related to leisure:
  • Words related to pleasure and comfort: joy, pleasure, delight, ease, comfort.
  • Words related to fine arts: art, beauty, ornament, colour, pillar.
  • Words related to games and sports: sport, chase, falcon, scent, cards, chess.

Linguistic Phenomena

• The phenomenon of doublets arose from borrowing French words in different ages:
  • Examples: catch vs. chase, warden vs. guardian, launch vs. lance, chief vs. chef, route vs. rout, wage vs. gage.
• Hybridism occurred through the combination of English and French elements:
  • Examples: adding English prefixes to French words (around, because, forefront, outreach, overpower, unable).
  • Examples: adding English suffixes to French words (serving, gentleness, courtly, beautiful, falsehood, courtship).
  • Examples: adding French prefixes to English words (embolden, mistake, demi-god).
  • Examples: adding French suffixes to English words (shepherdess, breakage, endearment, bearable, murderous).