40+ Borrowed Words in English and How They Got Into It
11 min
Created: November 24th, 2022Last updated: April 12th, 2023
Contents
You might not believe that, but borrowed words in English constitute almost 80% of a general language vocabulary. It means that the majority of common words you learn at school, hear in songs, or read in books, originally belong to different foreign languages. In this article, we will discuss the most popular English borrowed words, their history, and the ways they got into our daily conversations.
What are loanwords, and where did they come from?
Today, English is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Almost 1.5 billion people use it as their native or second language. But when it just appeared hundreds of years ago, it wasn’t so widespread. And, of course, it wasn’t that rich. Throughout history, English has been highly affected by various cultures, countries, and languages. And that is when the borrowed words came into view.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a loanword is a word taken from one language and used in another during particular circumstances. Most English words emerged under the impact of French and Latin speeches. You can also hear some terms and phrases that initially belonged to Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian, Greek, and even Russian languages. To understand how it happened, we need to dive into history.
Before becoming a major state, England was often subjected to conquests and attacks by other nations. And as we know, society has the most significant influence on vocabulary formation. Thus, Latin loanwords appeared as a consequence of the conquest of England by the Roman Empire and after the Christianization of Central Europe.
The Scandinavian words are connected with the year 870, when the Scandinavian conquerors overpowered England. French loan words in English appeared in the XI century in connection with the Norman Conquest. Now they make up almost 30% of the English vocabulary. Other countries also had their impact – for example, many German words appeared in English vocabulary during the World War.
How did borrowed English words come to be?
Now that you know a little about history, it is time to discuss some grammar details. You might not even realize that some words you’ve been using daily initially appeared in foreign languages. And to understand them better, let’s find out how exactly they’ve become common English words. There are three main ways of vocabulary transitions from one language to another.
- Transcription. It is the phonetic way of borrowing vocabulary units in which the original pronunciation of the word is preserved. Vivid examples of borrowed words created by transcription are the words “bouquet” and “ballet,” which come from French.
- Transliteration. This method means borrowing the word’s written form; English letters replace the original ones, and the word is pronounced according to the English rules. You can see examples of transliteration in “audience” (from the Latin word audio) and “democracy” (from the Greek word demos).
- Loan translation. This borrowing method involves copying foreign words, phrases, and expressions according to their literal meanings. For example, the term below one’s dignity came from the Latin phrase infra dignitatem. Another illustration of this borrowing method is the expression vicious circle – initially, it was the Latin term circulus vitiosus.
These are three main ways of borrowing English words from other languages. They are rare nowadays since most of the modern vocabulary was established hundreds of years ago. But now that you know their origins and ways of creating, it is time to learn the most common loanwords in English.
40+ English borrowed words examples
As we mentioned earlier, English was mostly impacted by French, Latin, and Scandinavian. Below, you will find the most common examples of borrowed words from these languages. So make yourself comfortable, and we are going to start.
French loanwords in English
Almost a thousand years ago, in 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England. Back then, Normans spoke Old French. Therefore, this language became a leading language in the conquered country. People spoke it for two reasons – first, it was necessary because some terms were unknown in Britain.
The second reason appeared later. Occasionally, speaking French became fancier than speaking English – people from high society considered English to be the language of peasants. Fortunately, those times are far behind us. But some expressions we use in our daily speech still remind us of them. Here are some examples of English words from another language.
- Pork, beef, mutton, veal.
It is hard to imagine that these tasty words we use nowadays were highly debated in ancient England. When French became trendy among aristocrats, the traditional word “swin” was replaced by its fancier version, “porc.” This way, “swin” was mainly used to describe what the peasants were breeding, while “porc” defined the food of the aristocrats. Later these two words borrowed from other languages transformed a little to suit English grammar rules – “swin” became “swine,” and “porc” became “pork.”
The same thing happened to other food. To separate themselves from the peasantry, aristocrats began to use different words for animals (cow, sheep, calf) and the meat they provided (beef, mutton, veal). And even though today we don’t have such division into social strata, we still use historical reminders of those times in our speech.
- Carpenter, execute, court, tailor, government.
These words might confuse you since they have very little in common. But in the times of the Norman Conquest, they were widespread among the elite (by the way, this is also a borrowed word.) Once again, people from high society used them to separate themselves from ordinary people, show respect to the new governors, and easily communicate with the conquerors.
Most words were connected to the royal court, shipbuilding, the army, etc. At the same time, the words duke and duchess, battle, cadet, captain, lieutenant, judge, attorney, and others came into use.
- Beautiful, visit, music, rewrite, explore, hour.
These words came into English from French a few centuries later and date back to the Renaissance. People started to travel the world, visit new places, and discover unknown art pieces. New things needed some names, and that is where the loan translation began. Most expressions that describe art come from French. For example, the word “beautiful” is a loan translation of the French word “beau,” and “music” came from “musique.”
- Leisure, gourmand, feudal, brother, garden.
When England again had a monarch in the Stuart era, many new words also came from France. Mostly, it was due to the social strata – the aristocrats learned many new words from the French nobility and used them in their language with minimal modifications.
Latin loan words list in English
Another significant influence English received from the Latin language. It all started in the times of the Roman Empire and continued during the Christianization. Even though Latin is considered a dead language now, we still use many words that came from it thousands of years ago. And believe us, some of them might really surprise you.
- Alibi.
This Latin word literally means “to be somewhere else.” But when it became a legal term, its definition slightly changed. Now it means that a person couldn’t be charged for committing a crime since they have significant proof of being in another place.
- Labor.
Labor in Latin means hard work, while in English, we usually use it to refer to any kind of physical work. This word has become the producer of other common terms – laboratory, collaboration, and elaborate.
- Agenda.
The word agenda came from the Latin verb agere, which meant performing any action. Today we use this term to describe the list of problems we will discuss at the meeting or the goals we are going to reach. Another way of using this word is to define one’s unclear, hidden motives.
- Visa.
Today we can’t imagine traveling to a foreign country without this document or permission for its absence. In Ancient Rome, this word was also used to define a document – the one that had been checked (charta visa – the document that had been seen).
- Video.
We all know the modern definition of this term. It is one of the best examples of words borrowed from other languages because we use it quite often in our daily lives. The original term is Latin, meaning “I see.”
- Etc.
You regularly see this abbreviation in the Promova blog articles. But have you ever wondered what it means? This shortcut came from the Latin word et cetera, which had the same meaning – and so on.
- AM & PM.
We can see these abbreviations every time we look at the watch or a phone screen to check the time. And we bet you’ve never known that they also came from Latin – ante meridiem and post meridiem, meaning before and after midday.
English words from other languages
You already know that Latin and French had the most significant impact on English vocabulary. But these are not the only languages that affect our daily speeches. Below, you will find the most common terms that came into English from foreign countries. And some of them can be really unexpected.
- Dollar.
Yes, you’ve read it right. Initially, this word appeared in the Czech Republic (Bohemia) in the XVI century. This was due to the fact that the country started to mint its own silver coins. It came to the USA almost three hundred years later, at the end of the XVIII century.
- Anonymous.
Now we use this word to define someone who doesn’t show their identity. In Ancient Greece, where the world was originally used, it had a similar meaning – someone who doesn’t have a name.
- Avatar.
In modern English, this word has two meanings – the famous James Cameron movie we all adore or the profile picture on social media. But initially, it is a Hindi word that means the incarnation of God in the human form.
- Candy.
This sweet word is definitely borrowed, but there are still some debates about its origin. It might be the loan translation of the French word (sucre candi – sugar candy), the Persian word qand (sugar), or the Sanskrit word khanda (sugar).
- Babushka.
This fashion word came to English from the Russian language. Originally, it meant a grandmother. But the modern definition describes a scarf tied on the head with a knot under the chin.
- Robot.
Another common word you didn’t expect to be borrowed. But it is – for the first time, this word appeared in the book R. U. R. written by Czech writer Karel Capek. It was a novel about artificial people called guess what? Robots. The best part about this story is that the book was published in 1921 – long before we started to really make robots.
- Chocolate.
One more tasty borrowed word in our list. It came from an Aztec language that is now considered dead. In the original, it was called xocolatl. You can still hear this word in some central regions of Mexico.
- Kindergarten.
We all use this term when talking about the place where kids go before school. Initially, it is a German word. Its literal translation is the children’s garden. You can hear this word not only in English but also in many other languages.
- Piano.
In English, this expression describes a popular musical instrument. The word came from the Italian term piano-forte. In the original language, it means “softly-loudly.” Also, this musical term means that you need to play a certain fragment of the composition softly.
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How to learn English words borrowed from other languages with the Promova app?
Learning English borrowed words might be beneficial for language practice. It can help you understand the origin of some terms, find proper pronunciation, and better interpret the definition of some expressions. But this process might be tricky for those who are just starting their English-learning journey. Luckily, we have a solution.
Promova is a modern online language-learning platform that offers many studying options for students worldwide. You can choose from several opportunities according to your proficiency level, studying preferences, etc. For example, if your goal is to practice speaking, you can join our free Conversation Club to discuss various topics with students from different countries.
If you prefer personal lessons, say no more! You can seek help from our team of professional tutors, who will be happy to provide you with all the information you need based on your language level. For those who like company instead, we offer group lessons, where you can make your studying process fun, meet new people, and make friends from all over the world.
Lastly, to those of you who like to study alone, Promova offers a convenient state-of-the-art application available for different devices. Here you can find everything you need to practice English alone, including various topics, interesting lessons, speaking and vocabulary practices (where you can find a complete English loan words list), and much more.
Therefore, don’t waste any more time and visit the Promova website right away to see what it has to offer, whether you are an experienced language speaker or just a beginner, prefer to study alone or in a group.
Conclusion
All in all, what was a loanword a hundred years ago, is now just a regular part of our speeches. Today borrowed words have become an integral part of the English language – we eat chocolate, walk our children to the kindergarten, discuss the agenda at work, and go to bed before 12 PM. But it is important to know the origins; we hope this article will help you with that. Please share your favorite borrowed words in the comments – we will be happy to learn something new!
FAQ
What are borrowed words?
According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a borrowed word or loanword is a word from a foreign language used in its initial form. Nowadays, almost 80% of all English vocabulary consists of borrowed words. Most of these terms came from French, Latin, German, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, Hindi, and Russian languages.
Why are there so many loanwords in English?
Most borrowed words appeared in English during particular historical events. For example, Latin words are connected to the Christianization of England and the times of the Roman Empire. French words came with the Norman Conquest, and German – came with the First and Second World Wars. Some words appeared like loan translations because English vocabulary didn’t have the proper definition (like the Australian word kangaroo – British people never saw this animal, so they called it as the Australian people did).
What are the most common English words borrowed from French?
During different historical periods, English vocabulary was replenished with various words. For example, the times of William the Conqueror brought the words battle, army, soldier, lieutenant, captain, cadet, duke, and duchess. The Renaissance came with the words beautiful, art, and music, and in times of the Stuart Era, the words leisure, gourmand, and garden appeared.
What are the most common English words borrowed from Latin?
The most common English words borrowed from the Latin language are agenda (from the verb agere), alibi (from the Latin alibi – to be somewhere else), labor (Latin – hard work), and visa (charta visa – a document that had been seen). Some of the most popular borrowed Latin terms are vicious circle (circulus vitiosus) and Carpe Diem (seize the moment).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
According to surveys,[1][2] the percentage of modern English words derived from each language group are as follows:
| Latin | ≈29% |
| French | ≈29% |
| Germanic | ≈26% |
| Greek | ≈5% |
| Others | ≈10% |
The following are lists of words in the English language that are known as «loanwords» or «borrowings,» which are derived from other languages.
For Old English-derived words, see List of English words of Old English origin.
- English words of African origin
- List of English words of Afrikaans origin
- List of South African English regionalisms
- List of South African slang words
- List of English words from indigenous languages of the Americas
- List of English words of Arabic origin
- List of Arabic star names
- List of English words of Australian Aboriginal origin
- List of English words of Brittonic origin
- Lists of English words of Celtic origin
- List of English words of Chinese origin
- List of English words of Czech origin
- List of English words of Dravidian origin (Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu)
- List of English words of Dutch origin
- List of English words of Afrikaans origin
- List of South African slang words
- List of place names of Dutch origin
- Australian places with Dutch names
- List of English words of Etruscan origin
- List of English words of Finnish origin
- List of English words of French origin
- Glossary of ballet, mostly French words
- List of French expressions in English
- List of English words with dual French and Anglo-Saxon variations
- List of pseudo-French words adapted to English
- List of English Latinates of Germanic origin
- List of English words of Gaulish origin
- List of German expressions in English
- List of pseudo-German words adapted to English
- English words of Greek origin (a discussion rather than a list)
- List of Greek morphemes used in English
- List of English words of Hawaiian origin
- List of English words of Hebrew origin
- List of English words of Hindi or Urdu origin
- List of English words of Hungarian origin
- List of English words of Indian origin
- List of English words of Indonesian origin, including from Javanese, Malay (Sumatran) Sundanese, Papuan (West Papua), Balinese, Dayak and other local languages in Indonesia
- List of English words of Irish origin
- List of Irish words used in the English language
- List of English words of Italian origin
- List of Italian musical terms used in English
- List of English words of Japanese origin
- List of English words of Korean origin
- List of Latin words with English derivatives
- List of English words of Malay origin
- List of English words of Māori origin
- List of English words of Niger-Congo origin
- List of English words of Old Norse origin
- List of English words of Persian origin
- List of English words of Philippine origin
- List of English words of Polish origin
- List of English words of Polynesian origin
- List of English words of Portuguese origin
- List of English words of Romani origin
- List of English words of Romanian origin
- List of English words of Russian origin
- List of English words of Sami origin
- List of English words of Sanskrit origin
- List of English words of Scandinavian origin (incl. Danish, Norwegian)
- List of English words of Scots origin
- List of English words of Scottish Gaelic origin
- List of English words of Semitic origin
- List of English words of Spanish origin
- List of English words of Swedish origin
- List of English words of Turkic origin
- List of English words of Ukrainian origin
- List of English words of Welsh origin
- List of English words of Yiddish origin
- List of English words of Zulu origin
See also[edit]
- Anglicisation
- English terms with diacritical marks
- Inkhorn term
- Linguistic purism in English
- List of Germanic and Latinate equivalents in English
- List of Greek and Latin roots in English
- List of proposed etymologies of OK
- List of Latin legal terms
References[edit]
- ^ Finkenstaedt, Thomas; Dieter Wolff (1973). Ordered profusion; studies in dictionaries and the English lexicon. C. Winter. ISBN 3-533-02253-6.
- ^ Joseph M. Williams (1986) [1975]. Origins of the English Language. A social and linguistic history. Free Press. ISBN 0029344700.[page needed]
External links[edit]
- Ancient Egyptian Loan-Words in English
- List of etymologies of English words
Рассказали о словах английского происхождения, которые часто встречаются в русской речи.
Русский изобилует заимствованными словами — новая лексика приходила из языков тех государств, с которыми наша страна поддерживала плотные политические, экономические и культурные связи или вступала в военные конфликты.
Во времена монголо-татарского ига в русскую речь вошли слова тюркского происхождения, с принятием христианства язык пополнился греческими словами, с развитием науки и государственного строя появились слова из латыни. В эпоху Петра I появилось много заимствований из европейских языков, а с середины прошлого века растет количество англоязычных заимствований. Это связано с развитием технологий и распространением интернета. Многие заимствования вошли в словари иностранных слов — как раз о такой лексике мы и расскажем в сегодняшней статье.
Одежда и мода
Слова «джинсы», «свитер» и «шорты» так прижились в русском языке, что большинство наших соотечественников не воспринимают их как заимствованные. Возможно, вы удивитесь, когда узнаете, как много слов пришло в наш язык из речи англоязычных модников.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| айвори | ivory — слоновая кость | Цвет слоновой кости. |
| боди | a body — тело | Облегающая одежда. |
| виндпруф | a wind — ветер proof — непроницаемый |
Ветронепродуваемая одежда, обычно куртка. |
| джинсы | jeans — брюки, сшитые из плотной хлопковой ткани (деним) | Брюки, которые когда-то носили лишь золотоискатели, а сегодня они есть в гардеробе практически каждого человека. |
| клатч | to clutch — схватить, стиснуть, сжать | Маленькая дамская сумка, которую носят в руках. |
| легинсы | leggings — гетры, гамаши a leg — нога |
Штаны обтягивающего фасона. |
| лонгслив | long — длинный a sleeve — рукав |
Футболка с длинными рукавами. |
| свитер | to sweat — потеть | Вязаная кофта, которую носят в холодный время года. |
| смокинг | a smoking jacket — «пиджак, в котором курят» | Раньше «пиджаки, в которых курят» были домашней одеждой. Когда джентльмен собирался покурить, он надевал плотный пиджак (a smoking jacket), который защищал его одежду от запаха дыма и падающего пепла. Интересно, что по-английски смокинг — это a tuxedo или a dinner jacket, а smoking — это «курение». |
| стретч | to stretch — растягиваться | Так называют эластичную ткань, которая хорошо тянется. В русском языке распространен и неправильный вариант этого слова — стрейч. |
| хилисы | a heel — пятка | Кроссовки с колесиком на пятке. |
| худи | a hood — капюшон | Толстовка с капюшоном. |
| шорты | short — короткий | Заимствовано от английского short trousers (короткие брюки). |
| шузы | shoes — обувь | Сленговое название обуви. |
Еда и блюда
Во время путешествий одно из главных удовольствий — знакомиться с кулинарными традициями и пробовать местную кухню. Некоторые зарубежные блюда стали популярными по всему миру, а их названия вошли в русский словарь, например: английский джем или американские панкейки.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| джем | to jam — сжимать, давить | Аналог нашего варенья, только фрукты давят и смешивают, чтобы добиться желеобразной консистенции. |
| крамбл | to crumble — крошить | Пирог, основа которого состоит из масляно-мучной крошки. |
| крекер | to crack — ломать | Хрустящее и ломкое печенье. |
| панкейк | a pan — сковорода a cake — торт, лепешка, блинчик |
Американский вариант русских блинчиков. |
| ростбиф | roast — жареная beef — говядина |
Кусок говяжьего мяса, обычно приготовленного на гриле. |
| хот-дог | hot — горячая a dog — собака |
Хот-доги пришли в США из Германии, где их называли Dachshund sandwiches (сэндвич-такса). Это название было сложно произносить и его заменили на hot dogs. По одной из версий, в Германии вплоть до середины XX века часто в сосиски добавляли собачье мясо, поэтому длинные сосиски стали называть «таксами». |
| чипсы | chips — жареный хрустящий картофель | В американском английском chips — это чипсы, а в британском — это картофель фри, который в американском английском называют French fries. |
| шортбред | short — хрупкий bread — хлеб |
Так называют рассыпчатое песочное печенье. Слово short употребляется в значении «хрупкий», «ломкий» для изделий из теста, в которых высокое соотношение масла к муке. |
Бизнес и деловые отношения
Терминология мира бизнеса строится на словах английского происхождения, поэтому если вы работаете в сфере экономики, менеджмента, маркетинга или финансов, то уже знакомы с профессиональной английской лексикой. Сегодня значение слов «дедлайн», «прайм-тайм» и «бренд» не нужно объяснять, но есть лексика, которая понятна лишь в профессиональной среде.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| аутсорсинг | outsourcing — привлечение ресурсов из внешних источников | Делегирование определенных видов работ сторонним специалистам на договорной основе. |
| бренд | a brand — марка, название | Марка товара, пользующегося популярностью у покупателей. |
| брокер | a broker — посредник, агент | Физическое или юридическое лицо, которое выступает посредником при заключении сделок на бирже, а также действует по поручению своих клиентов. |
| дедлайн | a deadline — крайний срок, конечный срок | Крайний срок выполнения работы или договоренностей. |
| дефолт | default — неплатеж, халатность, недостаток | Неспособность выполнить обязательства по возврату заемных средств или выплате процентов по ценным бумагам. |
| диверсификация | diverse — различный, разнообразный | Освоение предприятием новых видов деятельности, а также распределение инвестиций между различными объектами. |
| дилер | a dealer — торговец, агент по продаже | Компания, которая занимается оптовой закупкой товара и его продажей потребителям. Также дилером называют профессионального участника рынка ценных бумаг. |
| дистрибьютор | to distribute — распределять | Представитель фирмы-производителя, который закупает у нее товары и продает их ритейлерам, дилерам или непосредственно покупателям. |
| инвестор | an investor — вкладчик | Человек или организация, вкладывающие денежные средства в проекты, чтобы приумножить капитал. |
| краудфандинг | a crowd — толпа funding — финансирование |
Добровольное финансирование интересных идей большим количеством людей, обычно осуществляется через интернет. |
| лизинг | to lease — сдавать в аренду | Форма кредитования для приобретения основных фондов предприятия, по сути это долгосрочная аренда с последующим правом выкупа. |
| маркетинг | marketing — продвижение на рынке, рыночная деятельность | Изучение целевой аудитории и продвижение услуг компании. |
| менеджмент | management — управление | Управление социально-экономическими организациями. |
| нетворкинг | a net — сеть work — работа |
Создание сети полезных для работы знакомств. |
| ноу-хау | to know — знать how — как |
Технология, секрет производства, который позволяет создать уникальную услугу или товар. |
| пиар | public relations — связи с общественностью | Создание привлекательного образа человека или компании с помощью СМИ и социальных сетей. |
| прайм-тайм | prime — лучшая часть time — время |
Время, когда эфир смотрит или слушает наибольшее число зрителей. |
| прайс-лист | a price — цена a list — список |
Каталог цен на товары и услуги определенной компании. |
| промоутер | to promote — продвигать | Человек, который занимается продвижением товара или услуги. |
| релиз | to release — выпускать, публиковать | Выпуск в свет нового продукта, например, фильма, музыкального альбома, книги. |
| ритейлер | retail — розничная продажа | Юридическое лицо, которое закупает товары оптом и продает их в розницу. |
| риэлтор | realty — недвижимость | Специалист по продаже недвижимости, посредник между покупателем и продавцом. |
| стартап | to start up — запускать проект | Новая компания, которая строит свой бизнес на основе инновационных идей или технологий. |
| фрилансер | a freelancer — самозанятый сотрудник, который предоставляет свои услуги разным компаниям | Человек, который выполняет работы на заказ и не числится в штате компании. |
| холдинг | to hold — держать, владеть | Компания, которая владеет контрольными пакетами акций нескольких предприятий. |
| эйчар | HR (a head hunter) — охотник за головами | Эйчаром называют специалиста из отдела кадров, который ищет и приглашает на работу новых сотрудников. |
Спорт
В списке спортивной лексики изобилие английских заимствований. Англоязычными словами называют как отдельные виды спорта, так и участников игры. Можно сказать, что болельщики учат не только спортивные термины, но и расширяют свой словарный запас английского.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| армрестлинг | an arm — рука wrestling — борьба |
Борьба на руках. |
| баскетбол, волейбол, футбол, бейсбол, гандбол | a ball — мяч a basket — корзина; a volley — удар с лета, прием мяча на лету; a foot — нога; a base — база; a hand — рука |
Виды спорта с мячом. |
| бодибилдинг | a body — тело to build — строить |
Физические упражнения с тренажерами или тяжелыми снарядами для наращивания мышечной массы. |
| скуба-дайвинг | to dive — нырять scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) — акваланг |
Подводное плавание с аквалангом. |
| допинг | dope — наркотик | Запрещенные медикаменты, которые искусственно усиливают выносливость и активность спортсмена. |
| керлинг | to curl — крутить | Игра, в которой нужно попасть в мишень камнем, скользящим по льду. Задачу усложняет округлая форма снаряда, которая позволяет ему крутиться в произвольном направлении. |
| кикбоксинг | a kick — пинок to box — боксировать |
Вид единоборства, в котором разрешены удары ногами. |
| кросс | to cross — пересекать | Бег или гонка по пересеченной местности. |
| пенальти | a penalty — наказание, штраф | Штрафной удар по воротам соперника. |
| роуп-джампинг | a rope — веревка to jump — прыгать |
Прыжки с альпинистской веревкой с высоты. |
| серфинг | surf — волна прибоя | Катание по волнам на доске. |
| скейтборд | to skate — кататься a board — доска |
Роликовая доска. |
| спорт | sport — спорт | Слово произошло от disport (развлечение, отвлечение от работы). |
| старт | start — отправление, старт | Начало соревнований, забега. |
| тайм | time — время, срок | Период времени спортивной игры. |
| фитнес | fitness — выносливость, физическая культура, форма | Физические упражнения для достижения хорошей формы. |
| форвард | a forward — тот, кто идет впереди других | Нападающий. |
IT-сфера
Почти все слова из сферы информационных технологий заимствованы, поэтому найти к ним русский аналог — трудно выполнимая задача. В таблице привели наиболее распространенную лексику, которая известна не только профессионалам, но и обычным пользователям: браузер, драйвер, провайдер и другие.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| браузер | to browse — просматривать | Программа для поиска и просмотра интернет-ресурсов. |
| виральный | viral — вирусный | Популярный контент, который распространяется среди пользователей интернета. |
| геймер | a game — игра | Человек, увлекающийся компьютерными играми. |
| дисплей | a display — демонстрация, показ | Устройство для визуального отображения информации. |
| драйвер | to drive — управлять, вести | Программа, которая связывает операционную систему компьютера и его аппаратные компоненты. |
| кликать | a click — щелчок | Нажимать кнопку мыши, щелкать по ссылке на сайте. |
| комьюнити | a community — сообщество | Группа людей с одинаковыми интересами. |
| логин | to log in — войти в систему | Имя для авторизации. |
| ноутбук | a notebook — блокнот, записная книжка | Портативный компьютер. |
| пост | to post — публиковать информацию | Сообщение в блоге или на форуме. |
| провайдер | to provide — снабжать, обеспечивать | Компания, которая предоставляет доступ к интернету или мобильной связи. |
| трафик | traffic — движение, поток информации | Объем данных, которые проходят через сервер. |
| хакер | to hack — взламывать, рубить | Человек, который хорошо разбирается в компьютерах и умеет взламывать различные системы. |
| юзер | a user — пользователь | Пользователь компьютера. |
Наши преподаватели обучают английскому IT-специалистов. Предлагаем бесплатно пройти пробный 45-минутный урок.
Другие слова, заимствованные из английского
Не все английские заимствования попадают под категории, которые мы осветили выше. Таких слов в русском языке невероятное множество, поэтому лингвисты и филологи изучают их происхождение и составляют словари. В следующей таблице мы собрали наиболее распространенную лексику, которую можно услышать в русской речи.
| Русское слово | Английское слово | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| анималистика | an animal — животное | Жанр в искусстве, в котором используются изображения животных. |
| аутсайдер | outsider — посторонний, крайний | Плохой специалист, спортсмен, неудачник, у которого практически нет шанса на успех. |
| бестселлер | best — лучший a seller — продаваемый, ходовой товар |
Товар, который продается лучше остальных. |
| блендер | to blend — смешивать | Прибор для измельчения и смешивания продуктов. |
| блокбастер | a block — квартал to bust — взрывать |
Популярный и коммерчески успешный фильм. |
| бойлер | to boil — кипеть | Прибор для нагрева воды. |
| брифинг | brief — короткий | Короткая конференция. |
| бэк-вокал | backing — поддержка vocal — вокал |
Певцы, которые подпевают исполнителю. |
| гламур | glamour — обаяние, очарование | Демонстративная роскошь. |
| грант | a grant — дар, субсидия, дотация | Денежные средства для поддержки искусства, науки и т. д. |
| деструктивный | to destruct — разрушать | Опустошающий, неплодотворный, разрушительный. |
| имиджмейкер | image — образ to make — делать |
Человек, который создает имидж, внешний образ. |
| импичмент | impeachment — недоверие, осуждение | Отрешение от власти главы государства вследствие нарушений закона. |
| кемпинг | a camp — лагерь | Оборудованная для туристов база отдыха с палатками или небольшими домиками. |
| клоун | a clown — неотесанный парень, шут, клоун | Цирковой комик. |
| кроссворд | cross — пересекающийся a word — слово |
Головоломка, где слова пересекают друг друга. |
| лузер | to lose — терять, упустить, отстать | Неудачник. |
| мейнстрим | the mainstream — главная линия, основное направление | Преобладающее направление в какой-либо области. |
| парковка | to park — парковать, ставить на стоянку | Стоянка для автомобилей. |
| пазл | a puzzle — головоломка | Головоломка, состоящая из множества кусочков. |
| плейлист | to play — играть a list — список |
Перечень композиций для воспроизведения. |
| прессинг | to press — давить | Давление, натиск. Часто используется в значении «психологическое давление». |
| рейтинг | to rate — оценивать | Оценка чего-либо, степень популярности. |
| ремейк | a remake — переделка | Обновленная версия старого товара. |
| репортаж | to report — сообщать | Сообщение в прессе о каких-то событиях. |
| саммит | a summit — вершина | Собрание глав государств или правительств на высшем уровне. |
| саундтрек | a sound — звук a track — дорожка |
Звуковая дорожка, обычно музыка из фильма. |
| секонд-хенд | second — второй a hand — рука |
Бывшие в употреблении вещи. |
| секьюрити | security — безопасность, охрана | Служба безопасности, охранник. |
| селфи | self — само- | Автопортрет, созданный с помощью фотокамеры. |
| сквер | a square — площадь | Озелененный участок в городе. |
| спикер | to speak — говорить | Человек, который выступает на конференции, вебинаре, совещании и т. д. |
| тест-драйв | test — пробный a drive — поездка |
Пробная поездка для оценки качеств автомобиля. |
| ток-шоу | to talk — говорить a show — представление |
Шоу, в ходе которого участники высказывают свое мнение по какому-либо вопросу. |
| трамвай | a tram — вагон a way — путь |
Вид общественного транспорта. |
| триллер | a thrill — нервная дрожь | Художественное произведение, которое вызывает у вас волнение и тревожные переживания. |
| троллейбус | a trolley — роликовый токосъемник a bus — автобус, омнибус |
Название появилось потому, что раньше у троллейбусов были роликовые токосъемники. |
| тюнинг | tuning — настройка, налаживание | Переделка, усовершенствование автомобиля. |
| хенд-мейд | a hand — рука made — сделано |
Вещи, сделанные руками. |
| шампунь | a shampoo — мытье головы | Средство для мытья головы. |
| эскалация | to escalate — подниматься, обострять | Возрастание, усиление чего-либо. Например, эскалация конфликта — это обострение конфликта. |
Поделитесь в комментариях, какие слова вам были незнакомы?
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The English language has many borrowed words. English is basically a Germanic language by structure. English vocabulary, however, comes from everywhere. In this posting I talk briefly about the history of English and where many of its borrowed words come from. Finally I talk about parts of many common English words that came from Greek or Latin. There will be many example words and sentences. The download at the end will give you more practice using and understanding borrowed words in English.
How borrowed words work in English
Prior to 1066, the people living in the British Isles had no need for borrowed words. They spoke a German language called Old English. It is related to what we speak today. In 1066, William the Conqueror of France conquered Britain. The language of the nobles became French. The common people, however, still spoke Old English. Because of this, a double vocabulary developed in English. For example, everyone liked pork. The nobles called it by the French word, porc, while the common people called it swine. Both words exist in modern English, although pork is more common. As Christianity spread, more words form other European counties crept into English.
Some fun facts about borrowed words
Here is a brief summary of where many borrowed words in English come from: Latin–29%, French–29%, Greek–6%, other languages–6%, and proper names–4%. That leaves only 26% of English words that are actually English! There is very little that is original about English. Since its words come form so many languages, many may have come from yours.
When English borrowed words, it kept the original spellings from the original languages. All languages borrow words, but many change the rules to fit their phonetics. For example, photograph is a Greek word. Ph has the sound /f/ in Greek. English has kept the ph, but Spanish has changed it to f as in fotografia. This is why English spelling is so difficult and often does not make sense, even for native English speakers.
Some common borrowed words in English
Below is a list of borrowed words and the language they come from. You probably use many f these words every day.
- dollar (Dutch)–connected to a mint where coins are made.
- zero (Arabic)–Many words relating to math come form Arabic.
- alarm (Italian)–to arms
- banana, zebra, jumbo, yam (African tribal languages)
- ketchup (Chinese)
- pyjamas (Urdu and Persian)
- giraffe (Arabic)
- anime, sushi, karaoke (Japanese)
- moccasin (Native American tribal languages)
- ski (Norwegian)
- penguin (Welsh)
- ballot (Italian)–means a small pebble cast into a box to vote
- canteloupe (Italian)–named after a town where this melon grows
- massage (French)
Common parts of words borrowed from Greek
Many common English words were borrowed, in part form Greek. Many other languages have also borrowed these word parts, so you language may have cognates with these words. This will make it easier for you to earn them. You will see the word part, some example words, and an example sentence.
- anti (against)–antibacterial. You need to shower with antibacterial soap before surgery.
- ast (er)–astronomy, asteroid. Astronomy is the study of stars and planets.
- aqu (water)–aquarium. A fish may live in an aquarium.
- auto (self)–automatic. An automatic transmission changes gears by itself.
- bio (life)–biology, biography. A biography is the story of someone’s life.
- chrome (color)–monochrome. A monochrome image has only one color.
- chrono (time)–chronicle. A chronicle is a story told over time.
- geo (earth)–geology. Geology is the study of the earth.
- graph (write)–autograph. Your autograph is your signature.
- hydr (water)–dehydrate. If you don’t drink enough water, you may become dehydrated.
- path (feel)–sympathy. I felt sympathy for her when her father died.
- phono (sound)–telephone. You can hear someone’s voice on the telephone.
- photo (light)–photocopy. Please make a photocopy of this recipe for me.
- tele (far)–television. A television lets you see shows all over the world.
Some common parts of words borrowed from Latin
Although no one speaks Latin anymore, many parts of Latin live on in word parts. Many languages have borrowed from Latin, especially for math, science, and medical words. Chances are you have Latin cognates in your language.
- audi (hear)–audience. The audience enjoyed the concert.
- bene (good)–benefit. My new job has many excellent benefits.
- brev (short– brief, abbreviate. We can abbreviate Mister to Mr.
- circ (round)–circle, circus, circulate. We may need to circulate if there is no place to park.
- dict (say)–dictate, diction. Dictate the letter you want to send, and I’ll write it.
- doc (teach)–document, doctrine. Please read this document before you make a decision.
- gen (birth)–generation. There are 3 generations in her home, the grandparents, the parents, and the kids.
- jur (law) jury–On no! I just got a summons for jury duty.
- lev (lift)–elevate, elevator. Take the elevator to the 5th floor.
- luc, lum (light)–translucent, illuminate. You can see some light through something translucent.
- manu (hand)–manicure, manual. A construction worker does manual labor.
- mis, mit (send)–transmit. You can transmit your message several ways.
- pac (peace)–pacifist. A pacifist does not believe in war.
- port (carry)–portable, export. A laptop is a portable computer.
- scrib, scrip (write)–script, describe. Please describe your hometown.
- sens (feel)–sensitive. She is sensitive, as her feelings are easily hurt.
- terr (earth)–territory, terrestrial. A wolf has a huge territory in the wild.
- tim (fear)–timid. A timid person is fearful and shy.
- vac (empty)–vacuum, evacuate. Please evacuate the building when you hear the fire alarm.
- vid, vis (see)–video, vision. He has poor vision, so he needs glasses.
You now know that English has many words borrowed from other languages. In fact, most English words are borrowed from somewhere else. Many borrowed words are of Greek or Latin origin. A large number of these words have cognates in many languages. If you know what many of these common word parts mean, it will help your English vocabulary to grow. The download will give you additional practice using and understanding many of our borrowed words.
You can download the practice sheet now!
Idioms of the day
- to stop at nothing–This means to be willing to do anything to achieve success. Stephen will stop at nothing to win a large Christmas bonus.
- to law down the law–This means to strongly assert your authority. After Charlie got into his fifth car accident, his parents laid down the law. No more driving!
Since its infancy, the English language has been borrowing words from other languages. These ‘borrowings’ or ‘loanwords’ can be traced back to specific periods in history.
What usually happens is that English speakers find an equivalent in another language to describe something they do not yet have a word for in their lexical repertoire.
It is estimated that loanwords make up 80% of the English language, with major contributors being Latin, French, and German roots.
You may recognize some of the popular French sayings that have made their way into English as borrowed phrases – bon voyage or bon appétit, for instance – but chances are you pepper your daily speech with foreign words without even realizing it.
Below are 20 common English words that you might not know have origins abroad.
- ARABIC
In the early 8th century, Arab fighters invaded the Iberian Peninsula, which now accommodates Spain and Portugal. These forces were known as the Moors. During their occupation, their language spread throughout the area, and entered Latin, the language spoken by the locals.
Over the next several centuries, Christian-led forces took control of the Iberian Peninsula. However, by this time, the language spoken there had been forever influenced by the Arabic language.
As Latin began to influence English, many of these Arabic words have survived and were passed on. To this day, many words commonly used in English have Arabic roots.
Alcohol
The English word alcohol comes from the Arabic word al kohl. Al is the definite article in Arabic, acting much like thein English. The original meaning of kohl was a powder, or fine particles, that was added as make-up around the eyes.
It is not clear how this word came to mean a drink. But a common belief is that this happened after the word alcohol entered the English language. The term was once used for the powder produced from sublimation of natural minerals. The meaning was later changed to refer to when substances were purified to create ethanol, a kind of alcohol that can be drunk.
Alcohol is now the most common English word for the colorless, but often powerful liquid in some drinks.
Coffee
There are different accounts about how coffee was discovered. The most famous is that coffee beans were discovered in the Oromo area of Ethiopia. However, another country, Yemen, was the first to export the drink widely. The Arabic language is widely spoken in Yemen. The Arabic word for coffee was qahwah, which originally meant ‘wine.’
Long ago, traders sold coffee beans throughout the Middle East, and later to Turkey, where it was called kahveh. Coffee eventually came to Europe, arriving in Italy, where it was called caffe. By 1650, the drink had arrived in England, and the name had changed to the sound it has today, coffee.
Giraffe
The word giraffe was introduced into the English-speaking world during the 16th century. It comes from French girafe, which in turn originates from Arabic zarafa.
Lemon
The Arabic term from which lemon originates is called līmūn (pronounced ‘laymuun’), defined simply as a yellow citrus fruit. The word became part of the English language family post-1400 and was also influenced by another Middle Eastern language, Persian.
In modern English, the word lemon is often used in the expression: “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This suggests that you should always be hopeful and move forward, even during tough times.
- CHINESE
Many of the Chinese words that are now part of English were borrowed long ago. They derive from Cantonese or other Chinese languages rather than Mandarin.
Let’s start with dim sum.
Dim sum
Dim sum is a style of food that is common in southern China (specifically in and near Hong Kong).
The word originally meant ‘touch your heart,’ but now it is just used to describe a meal in a restaurant where the guests have many choices of small dishes of food. Many of the foods are steamed in bamboo baskets, and there are also other dishes like soup and fried bread.
If you’ve never tried dim sum, wait no more!
Ketchup
Ketchup is probably America’s most popular condiment, and most Americans would have a hard time believing that ketchup was not created in the USA. In fact, the story of ketchup began more than 500 years ago in Southeast Asia.
Originating from its Chinese equal ke-tsiap, the word initially referred to a type of sauce made from mixing pickled fish and spices in 1692. Fast forward 100 years in the Western world, tomatoes were added to the sauce to create what is now known as ketchup.
Tofu
The word first started in Chinese as dou-fu, passing through Japanese before being adopted into English as we know it today – tofu.
In Chinese, dou means ‘bean’ and fu means ‘rotten’ or ‘sour.’ It sounds gross when you put it that way, but it can actually be pretty tasty! If you’ve not tried it, you should.
Typhoon
The origin of this word is quite complicated since not all historical accounts are the same.
Some say it was reinforced by the Chinese word taifeng, which means ‘big wind,’ but there were also some possible influences from other languages, such as Indian, Arabic, and Greek.
- DUTCH
Boss
The Dutch form baas was recorded in English from the 1620s as the standard title of a Dutch ship’s captain. The Americans may have taken the word on as their own to avoid the use of the word master which implied slave subordinates rather than free laborers.
Cookie
Did you know this rolled, sliced and baked sweet dough is originated from the Dutch language? It’s true though, it really is.
The English language derived the word cookie from the Dutch term koekie (pronounced kook-ye), defined as akin to cake, to describe this sweet snack.
Cruise
The origin of this word is the Dutch verb kruisen, which means ‘to cross’ or to ‘sail to and fro.’ With the Dutch being one of the leading seafaring nations, it’s no wonder that so many English words related to the sea or sailing (such as sloop, buoy, deck, bow, skipper, and yacht) trace their roots in the Lowlands.
- FRENCH
In the realm of languages, English, French and German are almost like three siblings that grew up together. Each language influenced the other two in several ways, but one of the biggest impacts on English was French.
In fact, from the 9th to the 14th century, a form of French was even the ‘official’ language in the courts of England! During those years, the common (non-royal) people spoke an older form of English, while the kings, queens and members of the court spoke French.
Ballet
This is a form of dance that is popular throughout much of the world. Because this dancing style developed in France, many of the words that people use to talk about ballet also come from French. Non-ballet dancers would probably only know the words ballerina and tutu from that list, though.
Croissant
Some of the most common loanwords are related to food. That is because many foods are closely associated with a particular culture, and other languages don’t always have words for foods from other cultures.
A croissant is a type of pastry that is light and flaky. Flaky means the croissant leaves lots of little crumbs on your plate when you eat it.
Entrepreneur
In the 13th century, the word entrepreneur stemmed from the French verb entreprendre which meant to ‘undertake’ or ‘do something’. History suggests that by the 16th century, the verb had transformed to form the noun entrepreneur that referred to someone who started a business venture.
References
45 common English words that came from other languages https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-words-from-other-languages/
English words borrowed from Arabic https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/english-words-borrowed-from-arabic/4256013.html
Some very ‘American’ words come from Chinese https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/some-very-american-words-come-from-chinese/4243248.html
Something borrowed – English words with foreign origins https://cudoo.com/blog/something-borrowed-english-words-with-foreign-origins/