- from other languages
English has taken over words from most of the other languages with which it has had contact. It has taken many expressions from the ancient languages, Latin and Greek, and - -
these borrowings usually have academic or literary associations. From French, English has taken lots of words to do with cooking, the arts, and a more sophisticated lifestyle in general. From Italian come words connected with music and the plastic arts. German expressions in English have been coined either by tourists bringing back words for new things they saw or by philosophers or historians describing German concepts or experiences.
The borrowings from other languages usually relate to things which English speakers experienced for the first time abroad.
-
* A m e -*" * a, @B There are borrowings from a wide range of languages. For example, from Japanese, tycoon, karate, origami, judo, futon and bonsai. From Arabic, mattress, cipher, alcove, carafe, algebra, harem, mufti and yashmak. From Turkish, yoghurt, jackal, kiosk, bosh [nonsense (colloquial)], tulip and caftan; from Farsi, caravan, shawl, taffeta, bazaar and sherbet, and from Eskimo, kayak, igloo and anorak.
" % " % e # "-
C
The map of Europe below shows the places of origin of some English words and expressions borrowed from some other European languages. Use a dictionary to check the meanings of any words you are not sure about.Norway Fink
fjord
floe s ~ u t n i k
skl
slalom n budsman
trlhgsten
lemming steppe
tundra Holland
too lulluclgdl L C
cruise
. . .
,4 ~ F r y c e cuisine
, Germany
I-:.. ,la--" ..+- n dachshund rottweiler hamburger gateau f r a n b ~ t e r
junta duvet coup elite sautC marmalade mosquito avant garde palaver bonanza cul de sac
dodo lasso aubergine casino pseudonym
cobra patio bidet vendetta synonym
Which of the words listed opposite are also used in your language?
Is your own language represented on the opposite page? If so, can you add any words to the lists opposite? If not, do you know of any words English has borrowed from your language?
(There are almost sure to be some.) Do the words mean exactly the same in English as in your language? Are they pronounced in the same way?
Look at all the words opposite and complete the following networks.
Make two or three other networks to help you to learn the words on the opposite page.
Match the adjectives on the left with the noun they are most likely to be associated with, on the right.
1 right-wing kindergarten
2 prima casino
3 strawberry duvet
4 ice vendetta
5 Chinese ballerina
6 long-sleeved embargo
7 total cuisine
8 long-standing floe
9 noisy yoghurt
1 0 cosy coup
11 all-night caftan
What verbs collocate, in other words, are frequently used with the following nouns?
Example: study algebra
1 karate 4 embargo 7 coup 10 cruise 2 kayak 5 guerrilla 8 confetti 11 sauna 3 mufti 6 cul de sac 9 siesta 1 2 seminar Give three nouns likely to follow macho and avant-garde.
Have some words or expressions been borrowed from English into your own language? Give some examples. Have they kept exactly the same meaningas they have in ~ n ~ l i s h !
Onomatopoeic words
Onomatopoeic words are those which seem to sound like their meaning. The most obvious examples are verbs relating to the noises which animals make, e.g. cows moo and cats mew or meow. See Unit 7 3 for more about animal noises.
If the vowel sound in a word is short, an onomatopoeic word usually signifies a short, sharp sound. If it is long (indicated in the International Phonetic Alphabet by - , :) , then the word usually signifies a longer, slower sound. Compare pip /PIP/ which is a short sound with peep /pi:p/ which is a long sound.
Particular combinations of letters have particular sound associations in English.
gr- at the beginning of a word can suggest something unpleasant or miserable, e.g. groan [make a deep sound forced out by pain or despair], grumble [complain in a bad- tempered way], grumpy [bad-tempered], grunt [make a low, rough sound like pigs do, or people expressing disagreement or boredom], growl [make a low, threatening sound].
cl- at the beginning of a word can suggest something sharp and/or metallic, e.g. click [make a short sharp sound], clang [make a loud ringing noise], clank [make a dull metallic noise, not as loud as a clang], clash [make a loud, broken, confused noise as when metal objects strike together], clink [make the sound of small bits of metal or glass knocking together]. Horses go clip-clop on the road.
sp- at the beginning of a word can have an association with water or other liquids or powders, e.g. splash [cause a liquid to fly about in drops], spit [send liquid out from the mouth], splutter [make a series of spitting sounds], spray [liquid sent through the air in tiny drops either by the wind or some instrument], sprinkle [throw a shower of something onto a surface], spurt [come out in a sudden burst].
ash- at the end of a word can suggest something fast and violent, e.g. smash [break violently into small pieces], dash [move or be moved violently], crash [strike suddenly violently and noisily], bash [strike heavily so as to break or injure], gash [a long deep cut or wound].
wh- at the beginning of a word often suggests the movement of air, e.g. whistle [a high pitched noise made by forcing air or steam through a small opening], whirr [sound like a bird's wings moving rapidly], whizz [make the sound of something rushing through air], wheeze [breathe noisily especially with a whistling sound in the chest], whip [one of these or to hit with one of these].
-ckle, -ggle, or -zzle at the end of a word can suggest something light and repeated, e.g.
trickle [to flow in a thin stream], crackle [make a series of short cracking sounds], tinkle [make a succession of light ringing sounds], giggle [laugh lightly in a nervous or silly way], wriggle [move with quick short twistings], sizzle [make a hissing sound like something cooking in fat], drizzle [small, fine rain].
Which of the consonant combinations listed in C opposite exist in your language? Do they ever have similar associations?
Look in your dictionary. Can you find any other examples of words beginning with gr-, cl-, sp- or wh- with the associations described opposite?
Which of the words from C opposite fit best in the sentences below.
1 She heard his key . . . as it turned in the lock.
2 The blades of the propeller . . . noisily.
3 I love to hear sausages . . . in the pan!
4 They . . . glasses and drank to each other's health.
5 There was a terrible car . . . on the motorway today.
6 Everyone ... with disappointment at the news.
7 The baby loves ... in its bath.
8 I can feel raindrops . . . down the back of my neck.
Almost all the words in C opposite can be both nouns and regular verbs. There is, however, one irregular verb, one word which is only an adjective, one word which is both verb and noun but the noun has a rather different meaning from the verb. What are these words?
Choose from the alternatives offered below.
1 The irregular verb: whip, grunt, spurt, spit or wriggle?
2 The word which is only an adjective: gash, grumpy, clip-clop, or whirr?
3 The word which is both a verb and a noun but the noun has a different meaning: trickle, spray, growl, splutter, spit, splash or crash?
Can you guess the meanings of the underlined words from their sounds?
1 The child sploshed through the puddles.
2 If you have a sore throat, try garnling with some salt water.
3 I couldn't concentrate on the play because of the rustle of sweet papers behind me.
4 Speak up. Don't mumble.
5 That step always creaks.
6 He whacked the ball into the air.
What words on the page opposite do these pictures represent?
Pair the words below so that in each case there is a noun and a matching verb.
schoolchildren crackles tinkles a bad-tempered person or dog
the bell on a cat's collar a bored child clanks whistles a fire giggle growls a churchbell a steam train clangs wheezes a prisoner's chain wriggles someone with asthma