Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.
Latin influence in English
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2018) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2018) |
Source languages of the English vocabulary[1]
French, including Anglo-Norman (28.30%)
Latin, including modern scientific and technical Latin (28.24%)
Germanic languages (Old English, Old Norse, Dutch) (25%)
Greek (5.32%)
No etymology given (4.03%)
Derived from proper names (3.28%)
Other (5.83%)
Although English is a Germanic language, it has significant Latin influences. Its grammar and core vocabulary are inherited from Proto-Germanic, but a significant portion of the English vocabulary comes from Romance and Latinate sources. A portion of these borrowings come directly from Latin, or through one of the Romance languages, particularly Anglo-Norman and French, but some also from Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish; or from other languages (such as Gothic, Frankish or Greek) into Latin and then into English. The influence of Latin in English, therefore, is primarily lexical in nature, being confined mainly to words derived from Latin and Greek roots.
- ^ "What is the proportion of English words of French, Latin, or Germanic origin?". Ask the experts. Oxford University Press. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 August 2008.
Previous Page Next Page
