Andrew Kingdom

Words and their meanings

Occasionally I have cause to do a deep dive into word meanings.

Table of Contents


Etymology

First words

For most children the first word they learn is relational, either to mother or father

An exploration of the roots of English

One of the reasons that people find it difficult to learn English as a second language is that it is a blend of various other languages, which have each brought their own rules and grammar to the language. Many English words and grammar can be traced back to the Indo-European language family, a vast language group that includes languages as diverse as English, Sanskrit, Greek, Russian, German, Dutch, Swedish, and Icelandic.

A timeline of the English Language

Period Key Events Linguistic Influences Notes
Proto-Indo-European (Before 4500 BC) Hypothetical ancestral language   Little is known of Mesolithic and Neolithic era migrations and trade routes.
Celtic Britain (500 BC - 43 AD) Celtic tribes inhabit Britain Celtic languages The Celts had trade routes all across Europe. The Celtic languages are Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic (Scotland), Manx (Isle of Man), Welsh (Wales), Cornish (Cornwall), Breton (Brittany in France), Gaulish (France, extinct), Lepontic (northern Italy, extinct) and Celtiberian (Spain and Portugal, extinct).
Roman Britain (43 - 410) Roman conquest and occupation Latin Roman empire grew from Rome in modern italy, partly influenced by Celtic, Etruscan and Greek cultures. Rome was trading with southern England well before the 43 AD invasion.
Anglo-Saxon England (450 - 1066) Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement Old English dialects Anglo-Saxon comes from three neighbouring tribes: Jutes (northern), Angels (central) and Saxons (southern). The Jutes from Jutland in Denmark, settled in Kent and south-east England. The Angles from Angeln, in northern Germany, settled in Anglia in north-east England. The Saxons of Saxony, in northern Germany, settled in south and central England.
Norse Invasions (787 - 1066) Viking raids and settlements Old Norse Old Norse had several dialects, including Old Icelandic, Old Norwegian, and Old Danish
Norman Conquest (1066) Norman invasion of England Old French Everyday Latin of Roman Empire → Roman invasion of Gaul (France) → Old French
Middle English (1066 - 1500) Linguistic blending and standardization French, Latin, Greek, and other languages Middle English was a crucial period in the development of modern English, as it marked the blending of Old English, Old French, and other languages, leading to the formation of a more standardized and flexible language.
Early Modern English (1500 - 1700) Renaissance, Age of Exploration Latin, Greek, and languages from colonized territories Printed material became more widespread. The ‘great vowel shift’ occurred in this period where so-called ‘educated’ people changed the way they spoke. For example, the word “house” was pronounced as “hoos” in Middle English, but it now has the pronunciation “howz.” This has changed how Modern English is spoken generally.
Modern English (1700 - Present) Globalization, technological advancements Diverse languages from around the world English has become a global language, influenced by various cultures and languages.

An exploration of the Germanic roots of English

The Germanic language family, which includes English, German, Flemish and more, is a significant contributor to the English vocabulary. Words derived from Old English, a Germanic language, form the core of our everyday speech.

Germanic languages have also contributed significantly to English word formation through prefixes and suffixes:

Germanic Suffixes

Germanic Doublets

An interesting phenomenon in English is the existence of doublets, pairs of words with similar meanings but different origins, often with one word being Germanic and the other Latinate.

More Germanic Root Words

Germanic Compounds

Germanic languages often form complex words by combining root words. This compounding process is evident in English as well:

Germanic Loanwords in Other Languages

Germanic languages have also influenced other languages:

Germanic Words in Everyday Life

Some common English words with Germanic origins:

Germanic Words in Literature and Poetry

Many powerful and evocative words in English literature have Germanic roots:


Disclaimer: These are my opinion, generally based on many studies of known etymologies, but extending some meanings based on known historical cultural practices, etc.