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how many foreign words are there in the english language

by Prof. Miles Dicki IV Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Below are some statistics on words that we get from other languages:

  • An astonishing 80% of the words in an English dictionary come from other languages —mainly Latin, Greek, and French.
  • More than 60% of all English words come from Greek or Latin.
  • Latin- and Greek-derived words make up as much as 90% of English vocabulary in technology and the sciences.
  • As much as one third of English vocabulary comes from French.

One of the reasons why English has such a huge vocabulary- estimated to be more than two million words, though not all are in current use- is that English has borrowed words from up to 350 other languages. Some of the biggest contributions come from Latin and Greek, and French- via the Norman invasion of 1066.

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What foreign words are used in the English language?

Wanderlust (German) ... Cookie (Dutch) ... Karaoke (Japanese) ... Metropolis (Greek) ... Lemon (Arabic) ... Avatar (Sanskrit) ... Ketchup (Chinese) ... Entrepreneur (French)More items...

Which language has the most foreign words?

Counting the Words in the DictionaryLanguageWords in the DictionaryEnglish171,476Russian150,000Spanish93,000Chinese85,5683 more rows•Mar 7, 2018

How many words are in foreign language?

This is a legitimate question and one that many learners ask themselves. Some linguists believe that 800 words are enough to hold a basic conversation. However, your vocabulary should be over 8,000 words if you want to speak a language as well as a native speaker.

How many words are in the English language 2022?

If we want to talk about how many words there are in English, there are three key numbers to remember: more than a million total words, about 170,000 words in current use, and 20,000-30,000 words used by each individual person.

Which language has richest vocabulary?

A major uniqueness of Arabic language lies in its richness. While English, French, and Russian languages have around 500,000 words, 150,000 words, and 130,000 words in its vocabulary respectively, Arabic language has 12,3 million words in its own, making it the richest language in vocabulary, by far.

Does English still borrow words from other languages?

Not far short of half of the 1,000 most frequently occurring words in modern written English have come into the language from French or Latin, mostly in the period from 1066 to 1500.

What percentage of English words are foreign?

80%It is estimated that words borrowed from other languages make up around 80% of the English language.

Can you learn 100 words a day?

But you can certainly learn 100 words in a day. Sure, you can't learn everything you could ever need to know about these 100 words, and memorise all that information, but you can certainly get a basic understanding of 100 words in a day.

How fluent is 2000 words?

According to research, we can understand about 80% of a text after learning 2000 words. Of course, depending on which language you're studying and how common the words are which you study, this will vary. Overall, though, it's quite a motivating rule of thumb.

What language will we speak in 2050?

MandarinMandarin. Mandarin is likely to be the most spoken language in 2050 because of its vast number of speakers. The economic influence of China will also prove vital for the continued use and spread of Chinese languages around the world.

What is the longest word in English 2022?

PneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosisPneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest word entered in the most trusted English dictionaries.

What is the newest word in 2022?

Our Favorite Merriam-Webster Dictionary Additions for 2022Because (conjunction) ... TBH (abbreviation) ... Fluffernutter (n) ... Amirite (interjection) ... Copypasta (n) ... Deplatform (v) ... Whataboutism (n) ... FTW (abbreviation)

What is the most powerful language on earth?

The world's most powerful languages: which one will you learn in...Mandarin Chinese. Mandarin is the most widely spoken native language with almost one billion native speakers – more than Spanish and English combined. ... French. ... Spanish. ... Arabic. ... German. ... Japanese. ... Portuguese. ... Cross-cultural learning at ESCP.

What language has the hardest words?

1. Mandarin Chinese. Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is challenging for a number of reasons.

What language is most distant from English?

Anything non Indo-european with little contact with indo-european languages: you can go for: First nations languages, Australian and Papu languages, Chinese languages, Uralic and Altaic, Japanese, Basque,Swaheli and many more.

Coming Home (Good Old European Languages)

After a trip around the globe, English returned to his roots in Europe. In his new neighborhood, there lived a casino owner from Italy. He often spoke about growing up in a ghetto and working in an umbrella factory. But singing opera and playing the violin have always been his dream.

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Common Foreign Words and Phrases

Have you ever experienced deja vu or eaten the soup du jour? Are you unsure of what deja vu or du jour mean? In this lesson we will look at common foreign phrases that are used in the English language and from what languages they originate.

French

A la carte - This term is used to describe items, usually at a restaurant, that can be bought separately. For example, usually when you go to a fast food restaurant, you have a #1, #2, and so on that are set meals including entree, side and drink. However, you order dessert a la carte, which means separately and not part of a set meal.

Latin

Alma mater - An alma mater is a school or university that one has attended or graduated from. For example, ''Yale is my alma mater. '' It can also mean the school song and it literally translates as ''loving mother.''

What are some words that come from Japan?

These are a few you may know. emoji - a text or picture representation of emotion. haiku - a three-line poem with set rules for syllables. tycoon - someone who is wealthy from success in business.

What are some unusual words?

There are many interesting or unusual words in the English language. There are also some unique ways of looking at them. “Queueing” is the only word with five vowels in a row. “Iouea” contains all vowels and is a sea sponge. “Fashion” and “cushion” are the only words that end with "shion.". “Suspicion,” “scion” and “coercion” are ...

What is the order of vowels?

Having all vowels in order or reverse order are: abstemious, facetious, unnoticeably, subcontinental, and uncomplimentary.

What are some words that are German?

There are thousands of English words of German origin, but these are a few notable ones. angst - a feeling of discontent. kindergarten - the earliest grade in school, before first grade. hamster - a small rodent, often kept as a pet.

What are some words that are Yiddish?

These are a few of them. bagel - ring-shaped roll of bread. spiel - a long story or persuasive speech. klutz - someone who is uncoordinated. Advertisement.

Is Latin a dead language?

Although Latin is a dead language, there are many English words with Latin roots. These include Latin-based adjectives, phrases and others.

Does English borrow from other languages?

English Borrows From Other Languages and Itself. There are many foreign words used in English and foreign words that have been changed slightly to become English words. For example, explore English words of Aztec origin. However, while English borrows thousands of words from languages around the world, it also has its origins in itself.

How many words are in the English language?

If we want to talk about how many words there are in English, there are three key numbers to remember: more than a million total words, about 170,000 words in current use, and 20,000-30,000 words used by each individual person.

How many words are in the Oxford English Dictionary?

A more useful number from the Oxford English Dictionary would be the 171,476 words that are in current use. That means there are examples of each ...

What language did the English language originate from?

English started as a Germanic language. Add a generous helping of old Norse from the Vikings. Lace it with Norman French and Latin constructions. Add thousands of words anglicized from other languages and the result is English as we know it today.

What are loan words?

Add a generous helping of old Norsefrom the Vikings. Lace it with Norman French and Latinconstructions. Add thousands of words anglicized from other languages and the result is English as we know it today. “Loanwords” are words borrowed from another language and used “as is” so whether your audience understands the meaning of those common foreign words and phrases used in English is up to you. Foreign phrases used in English are often italicizedso they are easier to spot.

What is the language of ballet?

French is the language of ballet, e.g. tutu and ballerina. Personal annoyance, bugbear (French “black beast”). Sudden overwhelming attack (German “lightning war”). Enjoy your meal (French “good appetite). One of the most common foreign words in English, probably because we don’t have an English equivalent.

Is "coffee" a foreign word?

From coffee in many languages, one of the most common foreign words.

Is "uber" a foreign language?

Uber has become one of the fastest growing foreign language words used in English due to the rise of the Uber brand around the world. Private revenge feud among families of murdered persons. Vendetta is one of the most common foreign words in English of Italian origin.

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