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The Origins of Modern English

The Exeter Book on display at Exeter Cathedral in Devon, England. The Exeter Book is the largest known collection of Old English literature still in existence.
(RDImages/Epics/Getty Images)

Updated on November 01, 2019

Old English was the language spoken in England from roughly 500 to 1100 CE. It is one of the Germanic languages derived from a prehistoric Common Germanic originally spoken in southern Scandinavia and the northernmost parts of Germany. Old English is also known as Anglo-Saxon, which is derived from the names of two Germanic tribes that invaded England during the fifth century. The most famous work of Old English literature is the epic poem, «Beowulf.»

Example of Old English

The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)
Fæder ure
ðu ðe eart on heofenum
si ðin nama gehalgod
to-becume ðin rice
geweorþe ðin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofenum.
Urne ge dæghwamlican hlaf syle us to-deag
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgifaþ urum gyltendum
ane ne gelæde ðu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfle.

On Old English Vocabulary

«The extent to which the Anglo-Saxons overwhelmed the native Britons is illustrated in their vocabulary… Old English (the name scholars give to the English of the Anglo-Saxons) contains barely a dozen Celtic words… It is impossible…to write a modern English sentence without using a feast of Anglo-Saxon words. Computer analysis of the language has shown that the 100 most common words in English are all of Anglo-Saxon origin. The basic building blocks of an English sentence—the, is, you and so on—are Anglo-Saxon. Some Old English words like mann, hus and drincan hardly need translation.»—From «The Story of English» by Robert McCrum, William Cram, and Robert MacNeill

«It has been estimated that only about 3 percent of Old English vocabulary is taken from non-native sources and it is clear that the strong preference in Old English was to use its native resources in order to create new vocabulary. In this respect, therefore, and as elsewhere, Old English is typically Germanic.»—From «An Introduction to Old English» by Richard M. Hogg and Rhona Alcorn

«Although contact with other languages has radically altered the nature of its vocabulary, English today remains a Germanic language at its core. The words that describe family relationships—father, mother, brother, son—are of Old English descent (compare Modern German Vater, Mutter, Bruder, Sohn), as are the terms for body parts, such as foot, finger, shoulder (German Fuß, Finger, Schulter), and numerals, one, two, three, four, five (German eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf) as well as its grammatical words, such as and, for, I (German und, für, Ich).»—From «How English Became English» by Simon Horobin

On Old English and Old Norse Grammar

«Languages which make extensive use of prepositions and auxiliary verbs and depend upon word order to show other relationships are known as analytic languages. Modern English is an analytic, Old English a synthetic language. In its grammar, Old English resembles modern German. Theoretically, the noun and adjective are inflected for four cases in the singular and four in the plural, although the forms are not always distinctive, and in addition the adjective has separate forms for each of the three genders. The inflection of the verb is less elaborate than that of the Latin verb, but there are distinctive endings for the different persons, numbers, tenses, and moods.»—From «A History of the English Language» by A. C. Baugh

«Even before the arrival of the Normans [in 1066], Old English was changing. In the Danelaw, the Old Norse of the Viking settlers was combining with the Old English of the Anglo-Saxons in new and interesting ways. In the poem, ‘The Battle of Maldon,’ grammatical confusion in the speech of one of the Viking characters has been interpreted by some commentators as an attempt to represent an Old Norse speaker struggling with Old English. The languages were closely related, and both relied very much on the endings of words—what we call ‘inflections’—to signal grammatical information. Often these grammatical inflexions were the main thing that distinguished otherwise similar words in Old English and Old Norse.

«For example, the word ‘worm’ or ‘serpent’ used as the object of a sentence would have been orminn in Old Norse, and simply wyrm in Old English. The result was that as the two communities strove to communicate with each other, the inflexions became blurred and eventually disappeared. The grammatical information that they signaled had to be expressed using different resources, and so the nature of the English language began to change. New reliance was put on the order of words and on the meanings of little grammatical words like to, with, in, over, and around.»—From «Beginning Old English» by Carole Hough and John Corbett

On Old English and the Alphabet

«The success of English was all the more surprising in that it was not really a written language, not at first. The Anglo-Saxons used a runic alphabet, the kind of writing J.R.R. Tolkien recreated for ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ and one more suitable for stone inscriptions than shopping lists. It took the arrival of Christianity to spread literacy and to produce the letters of an alphabet which, with a very few differences, is still in use today.»—From «The Story of English» by Philip Gooden

Differences Between Old English and Modern English

«There is no point…in playing down the differences between Old and Modern English, for they are obvious at a glance. The rules for spelling Old English were different from the rules for spelling Modern English, and that accounts for some of the difference. But there are more substantial changes as well. The three vowels that appeared in the inflectional endings of Old English words were reduced to one in Middle English, and then most inflectional endings disappeared entirely. Most case distinctions were lost; so were most of the endings added to verbs, even while the verb system became more complex, adding such features as a future tense, a perfect and a pluperfect. While the number of endings was reduced, the order of elements within clauses and sentences became more fixed, so that (for example) it came to sound archaic and awkward to place an object before the verb, as Old English had frequently done.»—From «Introduction to Old English» by Peter S. Baker

Celtic Influence on English

«In linguistic terms, obvious Celtic influence on English was minimal, except for place-and river-names… Latin influence was much more important, particularly for vocabulary… However, recent work has revived the suggestion that Celtic may have had considerable effect on low-status, spoken varieties of Old English, effects which only became evident in the morphology and syntax of written English after the Old English period… Advocates of this still-controversial approach variously provide some striking evidence of coincidence of forms between Celtic languages and English, a historical framework for contact, parallels from modern creole studies, and—sometimes—the suggestion that Celtic influence has been systematically downplayed because of a lingering Victorian concept of condescending English nationalism.» —From «A History of the English Language» by David Denison and Richard Hogg

English Language History Resources

English Language
Kenning
Key Events in the History of the English Language
Language Contact
Middle English
Modern English
Mutation
Spoken English
Written English

Sources

McCrum, Robert; Cram, William; MacNeill, Robert. «The Story of English.» Viking. 1986
Hogg, Richard M.; Alcorn, Rhona. «An Introduction to Old English,» Second Edition. Edinburgh University Press. 2012
Horobin, Simon. «How English Became English.» Oxford University Press. 2016
Baugh, A. C. «A History of the English Language,» Third Edition. Routledge. 1978
Hough, Carole; Corbett, John. «Beginning Old English,» Second Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. 2013
Gooden, Philip. «The Story of English.» Quercus. 2009
Baker, Peter S. «Introduction to Old English.» Wiley-Blackwell. 2003
Denison, David; Hogg, Richard. «Overview» in «A History of the English Language.» Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Источник

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of English words inherited and derived directly from the Old English stage of the language. This list also includes neologisms formed from Old English roots and/or particles in later forms of English, and words borrowed into other languages (e.g. French, Anglo-French, etc.) then borrowed back into English (e.g. bateau, chiffon, gourmet, nordic, etc.). Foreign words borrowed into Old English from Old Norse, Latin, and Greek are excluded, as are words borrowed into English from Ancient British languages.

A[edit]

a
a-
A-1
A-frame
A-line
a.k.a.
a.s.a.p.
aback
abaft
abeam
abear
abed
abide

abiding
ablaze
able-bodied
aboard
abode
about
above
aboveboard
abovementioned
abraid
abreast
abroad
absentminded
abuzz
accursed
ach
ache
ack
acknowledge

acknowledgement
acorn
acre
addeem
adder
addle
ado
adrift
adware
adwesch
adze
afar
afeared
afford
affright
afield
afire
afloat
afoot
afore
aforesaid
aforethought
afoul
afresh
aft
after
afterglow
afterlife
aftermath
afterthought
afterward
afterwards
afterword
again
against
aghast
aglow
ago
aground
ah
aha
ahead
ahem
ail

ailment
ain’t
air freshener
air raid
airborne
aircraft
airedale
airhead
airline
airtight
ait
ajar
akimbo
akin
alack
albeit
alder
alderman
ale
alehouse
alewife
Alfred
alight (v)
alight (adj)
alike
alit
alive
all

allspice
allay
allright (all right)
almighty
almost
almshouse
alone
along
alongside
aloud
already
alright
also
although
altogether
always
am
amain
amaze

amazement

amazing
amid

amidst
amiss
among
amongst
an
and
anent
anew
angle (v)

angler
Angle

Anglian

Anglican

Anglicize
Anglo

Anglo-Saxon

Anglophile

Anglophone
ankle

anklet
anneal
anon
another
answer
anthill
antsy
anvil
any
anybody
anyhow
anyone
anything
anyway
anyways
anywhere
anywise
ape
apple
aquiver
archfiend
are
aren’t
aright
arise

arisen

arising
arm (anatomical)
armpit
arms-length
arm «poor, pitiful»
arrow
arse
arsehole
arseling
art (v)
artwork
as
asap
Ascot
asea
ash
ash (Bot.)

ashen
ashamed
Ashley
ashore
ashtray
aside
ask
asleep
aspen
astern
astir
astride
asunder
at
at all
at bay
ate
athel
atheling
atop
attaboy
attercop
atwitter
Audrey
auger
aught (something)
aught (zero)
auld
autoharp
automaker
aw
awake (v)

awoke

awoken
awake (adj)
awaken
aware

awareness
awash
away
awe
awhile
awl
awry
ax
axe
axle
ay
aye (yes)

B[edit]

babble
babe
baby
baby boom
babysit

babysitter
back (n)
back (v)
back (adj)
back down
back off
back up
back-talk
backbencher
backbiting
backbone
backdoor
backdrop
backfill
backfire
backgammon
background
backhand
backing
backlash
backside
backslide
backstab

backstabber
backstop
backup
backward
backwards
backwash
backwater
backyard
bad

badder

baddest
bad-mouth
badass
bade
badge
badger (n)
badger (v)
baff
baffle

baffling
bairn
bake

baker

bakery
bald
bale

baleful
balk
ball
ballast
ballocks
ballpark
ballroom
balls
ballsy
bally
bam
ban (v)
ban (n)
band (ties)
bandwidth
bane
bank (mass, heap)
bann
banns
bare
barefoot
barely
bark (v)
barley
barm
barmy
barn
barroom
barrow (wheelbarrow)
barrow (mound)
baseball
baseline
bass (fish)
bast
batch
bateau
bated breath
bath
bathe

bathing
bathroom
bathtub
batman
battle-axe
battlefield
battleship
baulk
be
be-
beach
beachhead
beacon
bead
beadle
beady
beam
bean
bean bag
beanery
beanie
beano
bear (v)

bearable
bear (n)
beard
bearing
bearings
bearish
beat

beaten

beater

beating
beat up
beatnik
beaver
beck
beckon
becloud
become

became

becoming
bed
bedbug
bedding
bedeen
bedizen
bedridden
bedrock
bedroom
bedspread
bedstead
bedtime
bee
bee’s knees
beech
beefeater
beehive
beek
beeline
been
beer
beeswax
beetle (n)
beetle (v)
befall
befang
befit

befitting
before
beforehand
befoul
befriend
befuddle
beg

beggar
beget

begat

begotten
begin

began

beginner

beginning

begun
begone
begorra
begripe
behalf
behave
behavior, behaviour

behavioral, behavioural
behaviorism
behead
behelm
behest
behind
behold

beheld
beholden
behoof
behoove, behove
being (n)
belated
belay
belch
belead
beleave
belie
belief
believe

believable

believer
belittle
belive «to remain»
bell
bell bottoms
bellboy
bellhop
bellow
bellowing
bellows
bellwether
belly (n)
belly (v)
belly button
belly dance
bellyache
bellyful
belong
belongings
beloved
beltway
bemoan
bench
bench-warmer
benchmark
bend
bender
beneath
benight
bent
bent (bent-grass)
benumb
Beowulf
bequeath
bequest
bereave

bereft
bereavement
Berkshire
berry
berth
beseech

besought
beseeching
beset
beshield
beshrew
beside
besides
besom
bespeak

bespoke

bespoken
bespeckled
bespoke (made to order)
best
bestest
bestir
bestow

bestowal
bestride
bet
betide
betimes
betoken
betroth
betrothed
better
between
betwixt
beware
bewilder

bewildered
bewitch
beyond
bid
bidden
bide
bier
Big Apple
Big Brother
Big Dipper
bight
bigot

bigotry
bill (beak)
billboard
billfold
billingsgate
bimonthly
bind
binder
binding
bindle
bine
binge
bingo
biofeedback
bippy
birch
bird
bird (young lady)
birdie
Birmingham
birthday
birthday suit
birthright
bishopric
bit
bitch

bitchy
bite

bit

bitten
bitter
bitterness
bittersweet
bitsy
bitty
biweekly
blab
blabber

blabbermouth
black
black box
black code
Black Death
black dwarf
Black English
black eye
Black Hand
black hole
black market
Black Panther
black sheep
Black Shirt
blackball
blackberry
blackbird
blackboard
blackguard
blackjack
blacklist
blackmail
blackout
blacksmith
bladder
blade
blain
blanch (turn aside)
blare
blaring
blast
blasted
blatant
blaze (fire)
blazer (jacket)
blazing
bleach
bleacher
blear
bleat
blee «colour»
bleed
bleeding (n)
blench
blend
bless
blessed, blest
blessing
blew
blight
blighter
blimey
blind
blind date
blind spot
blinded
blindfold
blindness
blinds
blindside
blink
blinkered
blinkers
bliss
blissful
blithe
blithesome
blizzard
blob
blockbuster
blockhead
blood
blood pressure
blood type
bloodcurdling
bloodletting
bloodlust
bloodshed
bloodshot
bloodstream
bloodsucker
bloodthirsty
bloody
Bloomsbury
blossom
blow (move air)
blow (bloom)
blow (hard hit)
blow job
blow out
blow up
blowfish
blowhard
blowhole
blown
blubber
blubbering
blue blood
blue chip
blue moon
blueberry
bluebird
bluegrass
bluestocking
blur
blurry
blurt
blush
bo tree
boar
board (plank)
board (side of a ship)
boarder
boardroom
boardwalk
boat
boatswain
bob (v)
bobble
bobcat
bod
bodacious
bode
bodice
bodily
bodkin
body
bodyguard
bogeyman
boil (cyst, tumor)
bold
boll
bollix
bollock

bollocks
Bollywood
bolster
bolt
bombshell
bond
bondage
bondman
bondsman
bone (n)
bone (v)
bonehead
boner
bonfire
book
bookcase
bookie
bookish
bookkeeper
booklet
bookmark
bookstaff
bookstave
bookstore
bookworm
boom (v)
boot (profit, use)
bootless
bore

bored

boring
boredom
born
borne
borough
borrow
bosom
Boston
Boston tea party
bottleneck
bottom
bottom line
bough
bought
boughten
bound (tied, fastened)
bourn (small stream)
bout
bow (v)
bow (n)
bower
bowie knife
bowl
bowler (hat)
bowtie
box (strike blows)

boxer
boxing
boy
boyfriend
boyish
boysenberry
braid
brain
brain child
brainiac
brainstorm
brainwashing
brainy
bramble
brand
brand new
brash
brass

brassy
braze (to cover with brass)
brazen
brb
breach
bread
bread-basket
breadth
breadwinner
break
break dancing
breakage
breakdown
breaker (wave)
breakeven
breakfast
breakneck
breakout
breakthrough
breakup
breakwater
breast
breastbone
breastwork
breath
breathalyzer
breathe
breather
breathless
breathtaking
breech
breeches
breed

breeder
brew

brewery
briar
bridal
bride
bridegroom
bridesmaid
bridewell
bridge
bridle
brier
bright
brighten
brightness
brim
brimful
brimming
brimstone
brinded
brindle

brindled
brine
bring
brinkmanship
briny
bristle
bristly
Bristol
britches
brite
British
brittle
bro
broad
broad-minded
broadband
broadcast
broaden
broadside
broadsword
Broadway
broke
brood

brooding

broody
brook (small stream)
brook (tolerate, endure)
broom
broth
brothel
brother
brother in law
brotherhood
brought
brow
browbeat
brown
Brown Shirt
brown-nose
brownfield
brownie
bruise
brunch
brung
BS
btw
bub
bubba
bubble
bubbly
buck
buck-eye
buckboard
bucket
Buckinghamshire
bucko
buckshot
buckskin
bucktooth
bud
buddy
bug
bugbear
build

builder
buildup
bulkhead
bull
bulldoze

bulldozer
bulletin board
bullfinch
bullheaded
bullish
bullock
bullpen
bullseye
bullshit
bulrush
bum (buttocks, bottom)
bumble
bumblebee
bumf
bunch
bunghole
Bunsen burner
bunt
burd
burden
burdensome
burial
Burke
burly
burn
burnout
burrow
burst
burthen
bury
busboy
bush

bushy
business
businessman
bust (burst)
bustle
busy
busybody
busyness
but
butt (end)
butterfly
buttermilk
butternut
butthead
butthole
buttock

buttocks
buttonhole
buxom
buy
buy-in
buyer
buyout
buzz
buzz saw
buzzer
buzzword
by
bye (sporting)
bye (good-bye)
bygone
bygones
bylaw
byline
byre
bystander
byspel
byword

C[edit]

c/o
cade
cadge
cadger
cakewalk
calf
call
call girl
caller
callow
calve
Cambridge
cammock
campfire
can (v)
can (n)
can’t
candlelight
canebreak
cannery
cannot
canny
Canterbury
care
care package
carefree
careful

carefully
caregiver
careless

carelessness
caretaker
careworn
caring
cartwheel
carve
cast iron
castaway
cat
catbird
catcall
catchall
catchword
caterwaul
cattail
catwalk
ceasefire
centerfold
cesspool
chafer
chaff
chaffer
chaffinch
chain gang
chairman
chalkboard
champ (v)
chap (v)
chapbook
char (chore)
char (burn)
charcoal
chare
Charles’s Wain
Charleston
charley horse
charlock
charwoman
chary
chat
chat room
chatter
chatterbox
chatty
chaw
checkout
checkup
cheddar
cheek

cheeky
cheep
cheerleader
Chelsea
Cheshire

Cheshire cat
Chesterfield
chestnut
chew
chick
chicken
chicken lobster
chicken pox
chide
chifferobe
chiffon
chifforobe
chiffrobe
chilblain
child

children
child abuse
childbearing
childcare
childe
childhood
childish
childlike
chill
chilly
chime (rim of a barrel)
chin
chink (slit)
chip
chippy
chirp
chirpy
chitchat
chock-full
chode
choke
chomp
choose
choosy
chop (cut)
chopper
chops
chopstick
chore
chose
chuckle
churl
churlish
churn
cinder
Cinderella
clad
clam
clamber
clammy
clamp
clap
clapboard
claptrap
clash
clasp
classroom
clatter
claw
clay
clean
cleanliness
cleanse
cleansing
cleanup
clearinghouse
cleat
cleavage
cleave (split)
cleave (stick to)
cleaver
cleft
clench
Cleveland
clever
clew
cliff
cliffhanger
climb
climber
clinch
clincher
cling
clingy
clip (fasten)
clip-on
clipboard
clockwise
clockwork
clod
clodhopper
clot
cloth
clothe
clothes
clothesline
clothespin
cloud
Cloud Cuckoo Land
cloud nine
cloudburst
cloudy
clout
clove (wedge of garlic)
cloven
clover
clowder
clubhouse
cluck
clue
clueless
cluster
clutch (clench)
clutter
Clydesdale
co-star
coal
coaming
coastline
coattails
coax
cob
cobble (n)
cobble (v)
cobbler
cobblestone
cobweb
cock (bird)
cock (Mech.)
cock (v)
cock-a-doodle-doo
cockerel
cockeyed
cockney
cockpit
cockscomb
cocksucker
cocksure
cocktail
cocky
coconut
cod
codger
codpiece
codswallop
coke
cold
cold blooded
cold feet
cold front
cold turkey
cold war
collard
collarbone
collie
collier
colliery
collywobbles
color blindness
colt
coltish
comb
come

cometh
comeback
comely
comer
comeupance
comeuppance
comingle
commingle
common good
commonwealth
con (study)
congressman
Connor
continental drift
cookout
cool
coolant
cooler
coolness
coolth
coot
cop (v)

copper (v)
cop (n)
cop (mass of thread)
cop out
copout
copperhead
copycat
copyright
copywriter
core
corn (grain)
corn row
cornerstone
cornhole
cornmeal
Cornwall
corny
cot (hut)
cote
cotquean
cough
could
couldn’t
countdown
counterclockwise
countryside
courthouse
courtyard
couth
cove
Coventry
cow (n)
cowboy
cowlick
coworker
cowslip
Cox
coxcomb
crab
crabby
crack
crackdown
cracker
cracker-jack
crackhead
crackle
crackpot
cradle
craft
craftsman
crafty
cram
cranberry
crane
crank
crankshaft
craps
crash
crave

cravings
craw
creak
creep
creeper
creepy
cress
crestfallen
crib
cribbage
crick
crimp
cringe
crinkle
Crip
cripple
croak
crock
crockery
croft
crop
cross-eye
cross-fire
cross-stitch
crossbow
crossover
crossroad
crossroads
crossword
crow (n)
crow (v)
crowd
crud
crumb
crumble
crumby
crummy
crumpet
crumple
cruise
crutch
cubbyhole
cucking stool
cud
cuddle
cudgel
cum
Cumberland
cun
cunning
cunt
cupboard
curd
curdle
curl
curly
curse
cuss
cut
cutoff
cutpurse
cutter
cutthroat
cutting edge
cuttlefish

D[edit]

D-day
dab
dabble
dad

daddy
daffy
daft
daily
dairy
daisy
dale
Dallas
Dalton
dam
damp

dampen
dander (dandruff)
dandruff
dandy
Dane

Danish
dare
daredevil
dark
Dark Ages
dark horse
darken
darkling
darkness
darling
darn (conceal a hole)
Darwin

Darwinism
dashboard
dat
dateline
daughter
davenport
daw
dawdle
dawg
dawn
day
day care
Day-Glo
daybreak
daydream
daylight
daytime
dead
dead end
dead man’s hand
dead reckoning
Dead Sea
deadbeat
deaden
Deadhead
deadline
deadlock
deadly
deadpan
deadweight
deadwood
deaf
deafen

deafening
deal

dealer
dear
dearborn
dearie
dearth
deary
death
death camp
death wish
deathbed
deathly
debug
deed
deem

deemed
deep
deep six
deep-seated
deepen
deeply
deer
defilade
defile
defrost
deft

deftly
delf
delftware
dell
delouse
delve
demean

demeaning
den
dene
Denmark
dent
Denver
depth
derby
derring-do
derth
desktop
devil-may-care
Devon
Devonian
dew
dewlap
dewy
dey
dibble
dibs
dickhead
did
diddle
didn’t
didst
die ( < AS *dīegan)
diehard
dig (ME diggen ?< AS dīcian)
digs
dike
dill
dim
dimmer
dimple
dimwit
din
dingle
dingy
dinky
dint
dip
disbelief
disbelieve
disembodied
disgruntle

disgruntled
dishearten
dislike
Disneyland
disown
distaff
ditch
dither
dive
dizzy
do
do-gooder
docket
dodder
dodge
doe
doff
dog (n)
dog (v)
dog days
dog leg
dogfight
dogger
doggerel
doggone
doghouse
doldrums
dole
doleful
dollop
dolt
Domesday book
don
doom
Doomsday
door
dot
dough
doughboy
doughnut
doughty
dove (n)
dove (v)
dow
down (adv)
down (n)
downbeat
downcast
downer
download
downscale
draft
dragnet
dragonfly
drain
drake (male duck)
drat
draught
draw
drawback
drawbridge
drawer
drawers
drawing room
drawn
dray
dread
Dreadnought
dream
dreamt
dreary
drench
drew
dribble
drift
drink
drip
drive
drivel
drizzle
drone
drool
drop
dross
drought
drove (n)
drove (v)
drown
drowsy
drudge

drudgery
Drummond light
drunk
drunkard
druthers
dry
dub
duck (bird)
duck (v)
ducky
dud
dugout
dull
dumb
dumbbell
dumbfound
dumbfounded
dumbledore
dummy
dun (v)
dun (adj)
dung
Durham
dusk
dust
dwarf
dwell
dwindle
dye
dying

E[edit]

’em
-ed
-er (agent suffix)
-er (comparative suffix)
e’en
e’er
e.t.a.
ea
each
each other
ealdorman
ear
ear (of corn)
earache
eardrum
earful
earl
earldom
earlobe
early
earmark
earn

earnings
earnest
earnings
earring
earshot
earth
Earth Day
earth-mother
earthen
earthenware
earthlight
earthling
earthly
earthquake
earthwork
earthworm
earthy
earwax
earwig
east
Easter
Easter Island
eastern
Eastlake
easy-going
eat

eatable

eaten
eatery
eats (n)
eave

eaves
eavesdrop

eavesdropper
ebb
eco-friendly
eddy
Edgar
edge (n)
edge (v)
edgeways
edgewise
edging
edgy
Edinburgh
Edith
Edmund
Edward
Edwin
eel
eerie
eff
eft
eftsoons
egad
Egbert
egghead
eh
eight
eighteen
eighth
eighty
eighty-six
either
eke
elbow
eld
elder (berry)
elder
elderly
eldest
eldritch
eleven
elf
Eliot (< Æðelgeat)
elk
ell
Ellis Island
elm
else
elsewhere
embankment
embed
ember
ember days
embitter
embody

embodiment
embroider
emmet
empty
end
endear

endearing
endearment
endlong
Enfield
enfold
England
English
enlighten

enlightenment
enlist
enliven
enough
entrapment
entwine
enwrap
ere
Erin
Erl-king
erne
Ernest
errand
erst
erstwhile
ettin
eve
even
evening
ever

ever-lasting
every
evil
ewe
eye
eyesore
eyetooth
eyewash
eyot

F[edit]

-fold
-ful
fain
fair (adj)
fairing
faith healer
fall
fallow (n)
fallow (adj)
fang
far
fare (n)
fare (v)
farewell
farm
farrow
fart
farther
farthing
fast (adj)
fast (v)
fasten
fastness
fat (n)
fat (adj)
father
fathom
fawn (v)
fay «to fit, join, unite»
faze
fear
feather
fed up
feed
feel

feeling
feelings
feet
fell (v)
fell (adj)
felt (n)
fen
fere
fern
Ferris wheel
ferry (n)
ferry (v)
fetch
fetlock
fetter
fettle
few
fey
fickle
fiddle
field
fiend
fifteen
fifth
fifty
fight
figurehead
filch
file («metal tool»)
fill
film
filth
fin
finch
find
finew
finger
fir
fire
first
fish
fist
fit (n)
fit («sudden attack»)
five
fizzle
flab
flabbergasted
flabby
flagstone
flap
flapper
flash
flashback
flasher
flashlight
flashy
flask
flat («apartment, floor»)
flatter
flax
flay
flea
fledge
fledgling
flee
fleece
fleet (n)
fleet («swift»)
fleeting
Fleming
flesh
fleshpot
fleshy
flew
flibbertigibbet
flick (n)
flicker (n)
flicker (v)
flight («act of flying»)
flight («act of fleeing»)
flint
flip (v)
flip (n)
flip-flop
flippant
flipper
flirt
flitch
float
flock
flood
floor
flop
floss
flow
flue
fluke («flatfish»)
flurry
flush (v)
flush (adj)
flutter
fly («flying insect»)
fly («fare through the air»)
fly («flee»)
fly-by-night
flyer
foal
foam
fodder
foe
fold
fold («pen for animals»)
folk
folklore
follow
fond
fondle
food
foot
footage
football
foothill
footing
footloose
footpad
footsie
footstep
for
forbear

forbearance
forbear («ancestor»)
forbid
ford
fordo
fordrive
fore
forebode

foreboding
forechoose
foredoom
forefather
forego
foreground
forehand
forehead
forelead
forelock
foreman
foremost
foreplay
forerunner
foresaid
foresee
foreshadow
foreshorten
forestall
foretell
forethought
foretoken
forever
forewarn
forewit
foreword
forget
forgive
forgo
forlorn
former
forsake
forsooth
forswear
forth
forthfare
forthgoing
fortnight
forty
forward
forwhy
foster
fought
foul
foundling
four
fourth estate
fowl
fox
fraidy-cat
frame
framework
frazzle
freak
free
free verse
freedom
freelance
Freemason
freewheeling
freeze
fremd (also fremmit, frempt) «strange, foreign, alien»
French
fresh
freshman
fret
Friday
friend
friendship
fright
frog
from
frost
frostbitten
frosting
froward
frowzy
frumpy
fuck (informal)
fudge
Fulbright
fulfill

fulfillment
full
fun

funny
furlong
furrow
further
furze
fuzz

G[edit]

G-man
G-string
gad
gadfly
gadzooks
gaffer
gainsay
gal
gale
gall («bile»)
gall («sore spot»)
gallows
Gallup poll
gamble
game
gammer
gander
gang
gang-bang
gangster
gannet
gar
garlic
gat
gate
gather
Gatling gun
gavel
gefilte fish
geld
gemstone
ghost
Gibson girl
giddy
gild

gilded

gilt
gimcrack
gimp
gingerbread
gird
girdle
girl
girlfriend
girlie
git
give
glad
glass
Glastonbury
glaze
gleam
glee
gleeman
glide
glimmer
glimpse
glisten
gloaming
global warming
gloom

gloomy
glory hole
glove
glow
glum
gnarled

gnarl

gnarly
gnat
gnaw
go

go south

go west
go-cart
go-go
goad
goal
goat
goatee
goatherd
god
godless
goddess
godhead
Godiva
godsend
gofer
goggle
gold
Goldilocks
golliwog
golly
good
Good Friday
good-bye
goody
goof
goon
goose
gooseberry
GOP
Gordian knot
gore (n)
gore (v)
gorse
gory
gosh
goshawk
gosling
gospel
gossamer
gossip
gotcha
Gotham
gourmet
Graham
grandfather
grandstand
grasp
grass
grave («ditch, burial plot»)
grave («to dig»)
gray
graze («to eat grass»)
graze («to make contact»)
great
greedy

greed
green
greenback
Greenland
greens
Greenwich
greet («to meet»)
greet («to cry»)
gremlin
grey
greyhound
grill «to anger, provoke»
grill «harsh»
grim
grime
grin
grind
grip
gripe
grisly
grist
gristle
grit
grits
groan
groats
groin
groom («youth»)
groom («bridegroom»)
groove
grope
ground
grout
grove
grow
grub
grubstreet
grump
grunge

grungy
grunt
guild
guilt
guilty
Guinea pig
gulch
gum («membranes of the mouth»)
gunwale
gut

H[edit]

-hood
ha
hack («chop»)
hack («hireling»)
hacker
hackle
hackney

hackneyed
had
haft
hag
hag-ridden
haggaday
haggle
hail («frozen rain»)
hair
hake
hale («healthy»)
half
half seas over
half-assed
half-life
half-wit
halibut
halidom
hall
hallmark
hallow
Halloween
halmote
halt («lame»)
halter
halve
ham
hammer
Hampshire
hamstring
hand
hand of glory
handbook
handcuff
handfast
handicap
handicraft
handiwork
handkerchief
handle
handmaid
handout
handsome
handwriting
hang
hang-dog
hanging
hangnail
hangover
hansom
hantle
harbor (also harbour)
hard
hardly
hardtack
hardware
hardwood
hare
hark
harlequin
harm
harp
harrow («rake»)
harrow («to wound»)

harrowing
harry
hart
Harvard
harvest
has-been
hasp
hassle
hassock
Hastings
hat
hat trick
hatch («emerge from an egg»)
hatch («gate»)
hate
hath
hatred
have
haven
hawse
hawthorn
hay
Hayward
haywire
haze

hazy
hazel
he
he-he
head
headache
headless
headline
headlong
headway
headwound
heady
heal
health
heap
hear

heard
hearken
heart
hearth
heat
heath
heathen
heather
heave
heaven
heavy
heck
hedge
heed
heel
heel («of a ship»)
heel («bad person»)
heft
heifer
heigh-ho
height
heinie («buttocks»)
heirloom
held
hell
Hell’s Angels
hellcat
hellfire
hellhole
helm
help
helpmate
helve
hem
hemlock
hemp
hen
hence
henchman
henge
Henley
her («object»)
her («possessive»)
herd
here
Herefordshire
heriot
herring
hers
Hertfordshire
hew
hey
heyday
hi
hi-fi
hi-jinks
hiccup
hide («to conceal»)
hide («skin»)
hidebound
hie
higgledy-piggledy
high
high-falutin’
high-five
highball
highboy
highbrow
highlight
hight
highway
hijack
hike
hill
hillbilly
hilt
him
hind («after»)
hind («doe»)
hinder («obstruct»)
hinder («rear»)
hindmost
hindrance
hindsight
hinge
hint
hip
hip («rose hip»)
hire

hireling
his
hiss

hissing
hitch
hither
hitherto
hive
hives
ho
hoar
hoard
hoarse
hoary
hob
hobble
hobnail
hobnob
hobo
hock («leg joint»)
hog
hogshead
hogwash
hogweed
hoity-toity
hold (v)
hold («lower part of a ship»)
hole
holiday
holiness
hollow
holly
hollyhock
Hollywood
holster
holt
holy
holystone
home
homeboy
homecoming
homely
homesickness
homestead
homework
hone
honey
honeydew
honeymoon
honeysuckle
hood («covering»)
hood («neighborhood»)
hoodwink
hoof
hook
hooker
hoop
hoot
Hoover
hop
hope

hoping
hopped
hopper
hopscotch
horn

horny
hornet
hornswoggle
horse

horse-chestnut

horsefeathers

horsepower

horseradish
hose
hoss
hot

hot dog

hot pants

hotbed

hothead

hothouse
hound
hourglass
house

housebreak

housekeeper

housing «lodging»
houseleek
hovel
hover

hovercraft
how
howbeit
howdy
however
howl
hub
huckleberry
hue «blee, colour»
hull «seed casing»
hum

humdrum
hummock
Humphrey
hunch
hundred
hung

hung-over

hung-up
hunger
hunt
Huntingdon
hurdle
hurl

hurling

hurly-burly
hurry
hurst
hush
hussy
hutch «storage chest»

I[edit]

-in (as in «sit-in»)
-ing (gerund ending)
-ing (pres. part. ending)
-ish
I

I’ve
I.O.U.
ice
iceberg (partial trans. of Dutch ijsberg)
icicle
Icknield Way
icky
idle
if
ilk
impound
in
in-

in-fighting

in-joke

in-law
in like Flynn
inasmuch
inborn
income
indeed
Indian summer
indoor
infare
infield
inflight
infra-red
ingot
ingrown
inhold
inkhorn
inkling
inlaid
inland
inlead
inlet
inmate
inn
innards
inner
inning
input
inroad
inset
inside
insight

insightful
instead
instep
intake
Internet
interplay
into
inward
inwit
Irish
iron
Iron Age
Iron Cross
Iron Curtain
ironclad
Ironside
Irwin
is
island
it
itch
its
itself
itsy-bitsy
ivy

J[edit]

jab
jabber
jack-in-the-box
jack-knife
jackanapes
jackdaw
jackpot
jag «sharp edge»

jagged
jar (verb)
jaw
jeer
jerk
jerry-built
jersey
jigsaw
jimson weed
jitter

jitterbug

jitters
job
joe-pye weed
jog
jolt
jowl
jumble
jump
jumper
Jute

K[edit]

keen
keep

keepsake
kelp
ken

kenning
kernel
key
keyboard
keynote
keystone
kick
kidney
kill
killdeer
kin
kind (n)
kind (adj)
kindred
kine
king

king’s evil
kipper
kirk
kiss
kite
kith
knave
knead
knee
kneel
knew
knife
knight
knit
knock
knoll
knot
know

know-how
knowledge

knowledgeable
knuckle
knurl
kythe

L[edit]

-less
-ling
-ly (adj)
-ly (adv)
lack
lackadaisical
lackluster ( also lacklustre)
lad
ladder
lade

laden

lading
ladies
ladle
lady
ladybug
laid
laidly
lain
lair
laird
lake
lamb
lame
lame duck
Lammas
land (n)
land (v)
land «hit home, make contact»
landed «owning land»
landfall
landfill
landform
landing «stow for boats»
landline
landlock

landlocked
landlord
landlubber
landmark
landslide
lane
lang syne
lank

lanky
lap (n)
lap (v)
lap «to fold (over)» (v)
lapdog
lapel
Lapland
lappet
laptop
lapwing
larboard
lark
last (adj./adv.)
last (v.)
last «shoemaker’s block»
latch
late

later

latest
lath
lather
latter
latticework
laugh

laughable

laughing-stock
laughter
lave «the rest» (n.)
lave «to pout water on» (v.)
law-abiding
lawn mower
lay

layabout

layaway

layer

layoff

layover

layup
layman
lea
leach
lead (n.)

leaden
lead (v.)

leader

leadership
leaf

leaflet
lean (adj.)
lean (v.)

lean-to
leap

leap year
learn
lease «to gather, collect»
lease «false, deceptive»
leasing
least
leather
leave «permission» (n.)
leave (v.)
lech
LED
lede «people; tenements, possessions»
lede «introductory paragraph»
ledge
ledger
lee
leech «worm»
leech «physician»
leek
leer
leery
leeward
leeway
left (adj.)

left-wing

leftist
leftover
leman
lend
length

lengthen

lengthy
Lent
less

lessen
lest
let «to allow»

letdown
let «to delay»
letch
letterhead
levelheaded
lewd
liar
lich
Lichfield
lick
lid
lie «to recline» (v.)

lier
lie «to speak falsely» (v.)
lie «an untruth» (n.)
lief

liever
life

life-line

lifeblood

lifeguard

lifeless

lifelike

lifelong

lifespan

lifestyle

lifetime
liftoff
light (adj.)

light-fingered

light-headed

light-hearted

lighten

lightly

lights

lightweight
light (n.)

lightbulb

light year

lighten

lightening

lighter

lighthouse

lightning
light (v.)
like (adj.)

likeminded

liken

likeness

likewise
like (v.)

likeable
lilt
lily-livered
lima bean
limb
limber (adj.)

chalky mineral

limelight

limestone

linden tree
limp (v.)
limp (adj.)
linch
linchpin
livestream
luscious
lush (adj.)
lust

lustful

lustily

lusty
luv
lye
lying
lynch

M[edit]

madder
maiden
make
mallow
malm
manifold
manly
mare
mark
marrow
marsh
mast
match
mate
mattock
maund
May
maybe
maze
me
meal
mean
meanwhile
meat
meet
mellow
mere
merry
mettle
mickle
midday
midnight
milk
milt
minnow
mint
mire
mirth
mistletoe
month
mood
moon
moor
moot
more
morrow
moss
mote
moth
mother
mug
mugwort
must

N[edit]

name
narrow
navel
near
nearby
neck
need
neighbour
neither
ness
nestle
nestling
nether
nettle
network
never
new
newcomer
newsreel
newton
nine
nook
north
nose
nostril
nothing
now
nut
nutshell

O[edit]

oak
oar
oat
offstand
old
on
one
onfang
or
ordeal
otter
ought
our
outcome
outgoing
outland
outlandish
oven
over
overboard
overcome
overdo
overflow
overhead
oversee
overset
overshadow
oversit
overstep
overthrow
overwork
owe
owl
own
owndom
ox

P[edit]

paddock
pathfinder
peak
pick
pig
pinfold
pillow
pitfall
plight
puff

Q[edit]

qualm
quake
queem
queen
quell
quench
quick
quirn
quoth

R[edit]

rain
rainbow
raindrop
rainworm
rake
rame
rathe
raw
raven
read
reap
reard «voice, sound»
reave
reckless
red
redd
rede
reek
reeve
rend
rethe
rich
richdom
riche «kingdom, realm»
right
righteousness
ring
ripe
rivel
road
roam
rogh
roof
room
rope
rother
rough
round «to whisper»
row
rue
ruly
runecraft
rush
rust
rye

S[edit]

sad
saddle
sail
sake
sallow
salt
salve
same
sand
sap
say
scathe
scab
scop
seafowl
seethe
seldom
seven
shadow
shake
shale
shall
shame
shand
shape
shard
share
shareware
shear
sheepfold
sheriff
shield
ship
shipshape
shit (Informal)
shop
six
soft
software
speed
sprawl
stalwart or alternatively stalworth
steven «voice»
stevvon
stone, from OE stan
stound «hour»
stretch
strong
swart
swath

T[edit]

tail
talk
tallow
tame
tarry
teasel
teeth
tell
ten
tenfold
terve
thane
thank
thankfulness
tharm
thatch
thaw
the
theft
there
thereafter
therewith
thicket
thieve
thigh
thimble
thorn
thorp
thou
thrash
thread
threap
three
threefold
threshold
thrice
throng
throw
thunder
thus
thy
tide
time
tinder
tinker
today
together
token
town, from OE tun.
tree, from OE trēow.
troth
tumble
turd (informal)
twelve
tusk
twilight
two

U[edit]

udder
um-
umbe
umbe-
umbecast
umbedraw
umbego
umbeset
umbethink
umbraid
umgang
umstroke
umwhile
unbind
unbury
unclean
uncouth
undeadliness
undeadly
under
underbear
undercome
undergo
underlay
underling
underneath
underseek
underset
understand
undertake
underwrite
undo
uneath
uneven
unfair
unfold
unfriendly
ungird
unholy
unknit
unlike
unlock
unseen
untime
untold
unweather
up
upbraid
upheave
upload
upon
upright
uprise
upward
utmost

V[edit]

vane
vat
vixen

W[edit]

wacken
wade
wag
wain
wake
wald
walk
wallow
walnut
wan
wander
wane
wang «cheek, jaw»
wangtooth «molar»
want
wark
warlock
warm
warn
warry
wart
watch
water
waterfall
wathe
wax
waybread
wayfare
we
weasel
weather
web
wedge
wedlock
weed
weighty
weird
welcome
weld
well (noun)
welkin
welter
were «man»
westy
wem
wench
wend
whale
whan
what
wheel
whelp
when
where
white
who
why
wield
wife
wile
will
winter
wis (also wiss) «certain, sure»
wish
wisly
wit
woman
wone
wonky
wood
woodcock
word
word-hoard
work
workword
world
wrack
wreak
wrength
wrist
write
wrong
wroth
wuss «juice»
withbear
withdraw
withgo
withstand «with, back, against, see withhold»
withsay
withstay
withtake
withhold

X[edit]

Xhenl
xhone
xex

Y[edit]

yammer
yard
yare
yark
yarn
yarrow
yawn
year
yearday
yearn
yearly
yeast
yeke
yell
yellow
yellowhammer
yelp
yeoman
yesterday
yew
yex
yield
yonder
you
young
youth
Yule
Yuletide

Z[edit]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Online Etymology Dictionary. [1]
Dictionary.com. [2]

1. Bedward

Exactly as it sounds, bedward means heading for bed. Who doesn’t like heading bedward after a hard day?

2. Billingsgate

This one is a sneaky word; it sounds so very proper and yet it refers to abusive language and curse words.

3. Brabble

Do you ever brabble? To brabble is to argue loudly about matters of no importance.

4. Crapulous

A most appropriate sounding word for the condition of feeling ill as a result of too much eating/drinking.

5. Elflock

Such a sweet word to describe hair that is tangled, as if it has been matted by elves.

6. Erstwhile

This very British sounding word refers to things that are not current, that belong to a former time, rather like the word itself.

7. Expergefactor

Something that wakes you up is an expergefactor. For most of us it’s our alarm clocks, but it could be anything from a chirping bird to a noisy neighbor.

8. Fudgel

Fudgel is the act of giving the impression you are working, when really you are doing nothing.

9. Groke

This means to stare intently at someone who is eating, in the hope that they will give you some. Watch any dog for a demonstration.

10. Grubble

Grubble might sound like the name of a character from a fantasy novel but it does in fact mean to feel or grope around for something that you can’t see.

11. Hugger-mugger

What a fun way to describe secretive, or covert behavior.

12. Hum durgeon

An imaginary illness. Sounds more like an imaginary word. Have you ever suffered from hum durgeon?

13. Jargogle

This is a perfect word that should never have left our vocabulary, it means to confuse or jumble.

14. Lanspresado

It sounds like the name of a sparkling wine, but no, it means a person who arrives somewhere, having conveniently forgotten their wallet, or having some other complicated story to explain why they don’t have money with them.

15. Mumpsimus

Mumpsimums is an incorrect view on something that a person refuses to let go of.

16. Quagswag

To shake something backwards and forwards is to quagswag, who knew?

17. Rawgabbit

We all know a few rawgabbits. A rawgabbit is a person who likes to gossip confidentially about matters that they know nothing about.

18. Snollygoster

I think we can all agree this is a fantastic sounding word. It means a person who has intelligence but no principles; a dangerous combination. Watch out for the snollygosters, they live amongst us.

19. Snottor

This old english term has the unlikely meaning of “wise.” Really?

20. Trumpery

Things that look good but are basically worthless. I said THINGS, not people.

21. Uhtceare

This means lying awake worrying before dawn. We all do this, we just didn’t know there was a word for it. Say it now, like this: oot-key-are-a.

22. Ultracrepidarian

Similar to the rawgabbit, this person takes every opportunity to share their opinion about things they know nothing about. Social media is the perfect outlet for these people.

23. Zwodder

Being in a drowsy, fuzzy state, after a big night out perhaps?

And finally, I broke the alphabetical listing to save my favorite till last…

24. Cockalorum

A small man with a big opinion of himself.

Why not see how many of these you can work into a conversation today?

Featured photo credit: Unsplash via unsplash.com

Источник

The
vocabulary of Old English (OE) is relatively small. It contains
almost 34,000 different word forms, whereas a modern desk dictionary
might contain 80,000. Some of these words have more than one meaning,
i.e. they are polysemous: it contains just over 50,000 meanings
altogether. An example of multiple meaning or polysemy is OE ecg,
pronounced in the same way as its Modern English (Mod. E.) descendant
‘edge’. In addition to meaning ‘edge’, it also means ‘blade’,
the part of an object that has a sharp edge, and ‘sword’, an
object distinguished by having a sharp edge or blade. This is an
example of metonymy, the identification of an object by one of its
attributes, as when the Prime Minister is referred to as ‘No. 10’.
‘Edge’ in Mod. E. also has a metaphorical sense, where an
abstract idea is conveyed by referring to something concrete, as in
‘her voice had an edge to it’.Much of the vocabulary of Mod. E.
derives from Old English. This applies particularly to our core
vocabulary: common words in everyday use for fundamental concepts.
Examples include the natural world (earth, sea, wind, fire, water;
sun, moon, star); people (man, woman, child, father, mother, brother,
daughter); the body (hand, arm, elbow, finger, foot, nose, mouth);
and other basic concepts such as food, drink; heaven, hell; friend,
neighbour; love, good, evil; hot, cold; after, over, under. However,
not all words which look alike necessarily refer to the same thing –
such misleading words are often called false friends. An example pair
is OE bēor / Mod. E. beer. Although both refer to alcoholic drinks,
the nature of the drink is quite different.The examples above are all
typical of OE words in being one or two syllables in length. Where
there are two syllables, the stress is on the first. Initial stress
is a characteristic feature of the Germanic languages as a group and
remains the most common type of word structure in Mod. E. We have
also retained from OE many of the ways of making new words, but at
the same time English has borrowed numerous words from other
languages, notably French and Latin. Thousands of French words were
brought into English after the Norman Conquest of 1066, which ended
the rule of the Anglo-Saxon kings and introduced considerable social
change. New words occur especially in fields where Norman influence
was strongest, such as Law, Literature and Fashion. These loan words
from other languages often exhibit different stress patterns from the
basic Germanic vocabulary, as with anatomy and cagoule from French,
armada and potato from Spanish, kamikaze from Japanese, anathema from
Greek and flamingo from Portuguese.

22. Middle English. General characteristics of the period.

Historical
period

The
chronological boundaries of the Middle English period are not easy to
define, and scholarly opinions vary. The dates that OED3 has settled
on are 1150-1500. (Before 1150 being the Old English period, and
after 1500 being the early modern English period.) In terms of
‘external’ history, Middle English is framed at its beginning by
the after-effects of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and at its end by
the arrival in Britain of printing (in 1476) and by the important
social and cultural impacts of the English Reformation (from the
1530s onwards) and of the ideas of the continental Renaissance.

Two
very important linguistic developments characterize Middle English:

in
grammar, English came to rely less on inflectional endings and more
on word order to convey grammatical information. (If we put this in
more technical terms, it became less ‘synthetic’ and more
‘analytic’.)Change was gradual, and has different outcomes in
different regional varieties of Middle English, but the ultimate
effects were huge: the grammar of English c.1500 was radically
different from that of Old English. Grammatical gender was lost early
in Middle English. The range of inflections, particularly in the
noun, was reduced drastically (partly as a result of reduction of
vowels in unstressed final syllables), as was the number of distinct
paradigms: in most early Middle English texts most nouns have
distinctive forms only for singular vs. plural, genitive, and
occasional traces of the old dative in forms with final –e
occurring after a preposition.In some other parts of the system some
distinctions were more persistent, but by late Middle English the
range of endings and their use among London writers shows relatively
few differences from the sixteenth-century language of, for example,
Shakespeare: probably the most prominent morphological difference
from Shakespeare’s language is that verb plurals and infinitives
still generally ended in –en (at least in writing).

in
vocabulary, English became much more heterogeneous, showing many
borrowings from French, Latin, and Scandinavian. Large-scale
borrowing of new words often had serious consequences for the
meanings and the stylistic register of those words which survived
from Old English. Eventually, various new stylistic layers emerged in
the lexicon, which could be employed for a variety of different
purposes.

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Источник

There are two people I credit for my love of old English words. They are my dad and an English teacher in high school.

Whenever my dad would read me and my siblings a bedtime story, he’d occasionally come across a word we didn’t recognise. Instead of simply telling us what the word meant, he would give us clues to its meaning.

We would race to guess the answer and whoever got it right would feel this immense sense of pride as dad would point to the winner and say ‘That’s it!’

As for my high school teacher, well, she had a real problem with the word ‘nice’. Anyone using the word nice would be severely berated.

“’Nice’ is boring, it’s lazy, it doesn’t add anything to the reader,” she would explain. “I want you to think of any other word, but do not use nice!“

It’s funny the things you remember when you are writing.

The Importance of Using Old English Words

For me, there’s something about the way words add a deeper level of understanding. It’s like a secret code of sorts. I feel the same way about music. Typically, you have a drum beat, a bass line, maybe a piano, a lead guitar, and vocals. Every instrument adds a layer which makes up a complete melody.

It’s the same with a sentence. You have the nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and so on. But you can go even further and tweak the sentence, adding further meaning with metaphors and symbolism.

Then there are the actual words you use. This is where I remember my old English teacher’s words ringing in my ears because it is here that you can really add intrigue and spice.

You can elevate your text and content. You can hopefully take your reader with you into your world. Share some of your insight and hope that they are as delighted as you are.

Now that I’ve explained where my love of old English words comes from it is time to share of my favourites:

15 of My Favourite Old English Words

Apricity (Ah-pris-i-tee)

Sun’s warmth in winter

First used in 1623 by Englishman Henry Cockerham, apricity describes the feeling of the sun’s warmth in winter. It derives from the Latin aprīcitās which means ‘warmed by the sun’.

Cockalorum (koka-law-rum)

A small man with an incorrect high opinion of himself

This is just such a delightful word, isn’t it? It captures the essence of the meaning perfectly. You could say a jobsworth is a cockalorum.

Cynosure (see-no-shur)

Someone or something that is the centre of attention or admiration

This word has a really interesting origin. It comes from the constellation Ursa Minor, or Pole Star, which was known as a navigation guide for sailors.

Elfock (elf-lok)

Hair tangled as if by elves

Dating back as far as 1596, this word comes from the old English word ‘aelf’. It is one of my favourite old English words. It denotes a mass of matted hair supposedly tangled by elves.

5. Expergefactor (ex-puh-gee-fak-tor)

Anything that wakes you up in the morning

It doesn’t matter whether it is the chirruping of the birds, the trash collectors, the postman, or your alarm clock. All of these are expergefactors because they wake you in the morning.

Grubbling (grub-bling)

To grope or feel about in the dark

Anyone who has watched Silence of the Lambs may remember Clarice Starling grubbling around in the dark when Buffalo Bill kills the lights. But to honest, the word ‘grubbling’ doesn’t have such sinister connotations.

It merely means to feel or grope in the dark for something. A little like putting your hand in your bag without looking and feeling for your car keys.

Languor (lan-gah)

A state of pleasant tiredness

Imagine lying on a beach with the sun warming your skin and you have just received a soothing massage. You are now in a state of languor. Languor is that dreamy, sleepy, state your body feels when it has no energy. You are completely and utterly relaxed.

Limerence (lim-er-rents)

An obsessive need to be romantically linked with someone

This is a state of overwhelming need and lovesickness. You ache to be with a particular person. Some call it love addiction, others call it infatuation. It involves obsessively reading into the behaviour of the other person and a desperate need for reciprocal love.

Paraprosdokian (para-pross-doke-ian)

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech or a sentence where the ending is surprising or unexpected

Now, this is not another one of those old English words for a joke. This word literally means a sentence where you are expecting a particular ending but are then surprised when it finishes a different way. So the first part is usually a figure of speech and the second part is a twist on the first part.

For example:

“Change is inevitable, unless you are a vending machine.”

“On the other hand, you have different fingers.”

Petrichor (pet-ree-cor)

The pleasant, earthy smell that follows rainfall particularly after a dry spell of weather

This is an old English word deriving in two parts from the English word ‘petri’ meaning rocks and the Greek word ‘ichor’ which means fluid from the Gods.

Riparian (rye-pear-ree-an)

Situated on or relating to a river

This word comes from common English law and originates from the Latin word ‘ripa’ meaning bank. Riparian water laws are pretty important. Water is seen as a public human asset, the same as sunlight and air, and as such cannot be owned. Therefore, a person has a right to use water flowing through their land no matter where it originates from.

Sempiternal (sem-pit-er-nall)

Everlasting, unchanging, eternal

This is one of those odd-looking words that doesn’t resemble its actual meaning. To me, it looks as if it should mean a temporary state of being, but the opposite is true. In fact, US marines will already know that their motto of Semper Fidelis means ‘Always Faithful’.

Therefore, this word derives from the Latin words of semper (always) and eternus (eternal).

Susurrus (soo-sur-us)

Whispering or rustling

Susurrus or susurration comes from the Latin noun meaning a hum or a whisper. It is thought to be related to the word ‘swarm’. Nowadays susurrus can be used to describe any kind of whispering, rustling, murmuring, or humming sound.

Syzygy (sizz-er-gee)

An alignment of three or more celestial bodies

In astronomy, the word syzygy denotes a fairly straight line which can consist of any type of celestial body. For example, the word would be used when the Sun, Moon, and Mercury lie in a straight line.

Uhtceare (ut-see-ar)

Lying awake before dawn worrying

I bet you didn’t know there was a word for that awful feeling of dread and panic you feel when you can’t sleep and it is just getting light? Perhaps now that you know there’s a word for it, you might feel better?

Final thoughts

I’m always on the hunt for interesting words. If you know of any old English words, or indeed, any unusual words that you’d like to share, please do let me know.

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Sub-editor & staff writer at Learning Mind

Janey Davies has been published online for over 10 years. She has suffered from a panic disorder for over 30 years, which prompted her to study and receive an Honours degree in Psychology with the Open University. Janey uses the experiences of her own anxiety to offer help and advice to others dealing with mental health issues.

Источник

English is an old language that has changed a lot over time. New words are created daily, and old words fall out of fashion, become forgotten, or their meanings evolve.

Although many forgotten Old English words are now rarely used in daily conversation, they still have the power to add a certain historical flavour to historic and fantasy novels. As such, it’s highly likely that you will recognise at least some Old English words from this list!

The underlined words below are all examples of old English. We still use these words today, though we say and write them differently.

Old English

When I was young, I lived in a small hus with my little sweostor and my older brodor. My faeder was called Mark and my modor was called Doris.

Modern English

When I was young, I lived in a small house with my little sister and my older brother. My father was called Mark, and my mother was called Doris.

Here are some more Old English words that are no longer in everyday use.. Can you guess their modern day translations?

Hark! Can you hear that?