Three Primary Borrowed Languages of English英语外来语论文.docx

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1、Three Primary Borrowed Languages of EnglishAbstract Historical marks can be seen in English in every period from old English to middle English and from middle English to modern English New words from other nations came into use in English. English vocabulary has been broadening and developing. The o

2、penness of English vocabulary can also be seen in its regional varieties. There are different characteristics in Britain English, Canadian English and so on.According to some experts estimate, there are about one million vocabularies of English. To our surprise 80% of English vocabularies are borrow

3、ed language. The three major languages are Latin French and Greek. There is little change when English borrowed from the other three languages. In my paper I introduced three points about the borrowed languages: three major resources, characteristics, and the influence to English. Key words English,

4、 varieties, borrowedThree Primary Borrowed Languages of EnglishEnglish and its borrowed language Latin French and Greek all belong to the family of Indo Europeans. English is a branch of Indo-European Germanic puxi. The Germanic divided into East Germanic group, North Germanic group and West Germani

5、c group.After a long-term development Modern English has become the worlds most widely circulated language. One of the important characteristic of English is its flexibility and diversity. It not only receives foreign words but also is good at absorbing the habits and cultural of foreign language. T

6、his basic characteristic is one of the reasons that modern English can absorb tremendous vocabularies from other languages. Borrowing is an important basis of English word-formation. In English vocabulary the number of borrowed words is far more than local words. Sapir had said that “ A simple influ

7、ence of one language to another one is Product lend” ( Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech, P129). Once it had culture Product lend it can borrowed related vocabularies”. In the early years Germanic people knew how to make wine according to the contact in commerce and military with Roma

8、n. Naturally they named the strange drink wine. With the Christianity entering into England some related words such as bishop and angel entered into English. I have introduced the condition of Englishs fast development. Then I want to discuss three borrowed languages of English.English and FrenchIn

9、the geography position Britain and France are only separated by the English Channel. From time immemorial the two countries associated with each other intimately and frequently. In medieval English period there were about more ten thousand French borrowed into English.75% of these are using today. I

10、nvolving of government and public administration these words are all from French. For example govern, government, empire, authority, tyrant, tax, etc. Involving of law and religion, we can see these words judge, crime, prison, clergy, prayer, virgin etc. We can also find them in our formal life such

11、 as embroidery, gown, fashion etc. Some people may ask why English borrowed so many words from French. One motive lies in enriching English thesaurus and homoionym to satisfy the poets who want to express the minute difference in their poems.English and Latin As early as Anglos Saxon settled in nort

12、hern Europe they borrowed Latin words while trading with Romans. Such as dish, street, cup, pound, colony etc. Now many English place names have the shadow of Latin like Manchester, Winchester, Rochester and Lancaster. According to the statistics scholars, about half of the modern English words sour

13、ce from the romance Latin languages. In the early modern English it is influenced by the atmosphere of advocating Greece and Roman classical literature. Many well-educated English thought that only the classical languages like Latin was incomparable. Famous essayist Bacon wrote articles in Latin. Ev

14、en the scientists Newton wrote paper in Latin. In this period, a large number of Latin vocabularies flooded into English. Below are some common words from Latin. exhibit, exhibition came from ex(out)+habere(to hold); immense came from in-(un)+mense; innocent came from in-(not)+nocere(to harm).Englis

15、h and Greek As same as Latin, Greek is a great classical language. Most of the borrowed vocabularies are special terms in technology. Such as cardiology, hepatitis and stethoscope. People not only borrowed Greek words but also borrowed prefix and postfix. For this one prefix or postfix can usually d

16、erive more than ten words. Today it is not unusual to make up new words with prefix and postfix. Here are some common prefixes and postfixes. Anti-, geo-, hydro-, micro-,poly-, tele-, auto-, homo-etc. -meter, -gy, -graph, -scope and so on.English borrowed vocabularies majorly from the above three la

17、nguages as well as others. Thinking about it seriously we can conclude three features of borrowing.I Hybrid words. The borrowed words from French Latin and Greek have penetrated into English vocabulary. The most important influence they brought is the combine of their root affix and other word-forma

18、tion composition with local English word-formation composition. This combine contributed to new words. We call these hybrid words. They account for a large proportion in English vocabulary. For example: anti- and hyper- belong to Latin prefix. The meanings of them are against and beyond. They can ma

19、ke up new words with English like anti-British. The Greek postfix ize can also add English words to make up new words like popularize Anglicize westernize etc.II Near-synonym. Lots of borrowed words make English appear many synonyms from three resources. Sometimes these words have similar meanings b

20、ut they cant express the meaning completely same. For example holy ask and fear are local English. Sacred question and terror came from French. Consecrated interrogate and trepidation came from Latin. Comparing the three groups, we can find their different characteristic. English is colloquial while

21、 the borrowed words are more formal.III Rhetoric. For the creating poems, poets need more words to express their thinking and make their poems rhymed. Let us see some groups of rhetoric. Begin and commence, child and infant, help and aid, hide and conceal and so on. We have know the three borrowed r

22、esources languages of English and their feathers. As we are surprised at the huge number of borrowed vocabularies, we ask why English borrowed so many vocabularies from other countries? Firstly, the American linguist Sapir said as same as culture, language is seldom self-sufficient. As long as there

23、 is foreign culture there will be methods borrowing related words. It is a general phenomenon that a nation borrows and absorbs other languages. Every cultural wave deposited a stratum of new foreign vocabulary. People can infer the role that different nations played on cultural development and spre

24、ad according to the understanding degree of one language penetrated to another. Secondly, Ibid spoke highly of the effect of borrowing in languages evolution. He said there was difference between borrowing and kind of change. Any factor may lead to innovation. But we have to realize that the existen

25、ce and the spread of innovation depend on the contribution of borrowing. Borrowing concludes words pronounce and grammar. Ibid thought there are two motives of borrowing: reputation and the need of filling the blank. The reputations factor caused the borrowing from low level to high grade. If a kind

26、 of dialect got a superior status because of the areas politics and economy, we can say that the reason of borrowing a lot of vocabularies by other languages is due to its reputation. One point should be emphasized. Though a lot of foreign vocabularies have penetrated into English, English has been

27、keeping its own character. English has been developing ahead instead of becoming another language. For one hand English absorbs quintessence from others. For another hand other nations blend in English nutrition continually. English dedicates itself to all over the world. Today Science and technolog

28、y develop rapidly. With the step of globalization, the earth becomes a village gradually. All kinds of languages around the world mix together constantly. Depending on its own dominant position, English plays a leading role in this communication and integration. Bibliography: 1 Spair. Language: An I

29、ntroduction to the Study of Speech. M. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. 2000.2 Hawker. A Course In Modern Linguistics M. Peking University Press. 1987.3 杨鑫南,当代英语变迁M.外语教学与研究出版社.1980.4 蔡昌卓,英语史话M. 桂林 广西师范大学出版社,1999.5 汪榕培. 英语词汇学教程M. 上海外语教育出版社,1997. 英语谚语警句100句精选Proverbs are the daughters of

30、daily experience.谚语是日常经验的结晶。1. Look before you leap./Second thoughts are best. 三思而后行。/再想而后行。2. Great minds think alike; (heroes have similar views.) 英雄所见略同。 3. We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault.欲求完美无缺的朋友必然成为孤家寡人。4. What you sow, you must mow. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。5. A beggar c

31、an never be bankrupt.天无绝人之路。6.A friend in need is a friend indeed.患难见真情。7. No news is good news. 没有消息就是好消息。8. No cross, no crown. 不经历风雨,怎么见彩虹。9. The more haste, the less speed. /Haste makes waste.欲速则不达。10. Victory belongs to the most persevering. 坚持就是胜利！11. A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。

32、12. Put ones foot in ones mouth. 说话不得体。13. It is no use crying over spilt milk.覆水难收/悔恨已晚/木已成舟,回天乏力。14. Content is better than riches. 知足常乐。15. No gains without pains. 没有辛苦就没有收获。16. The more a man knows, the more he is inclined to be modest. 大智若愚。17. All roads lead to Rome .条条大路通罗马。18. A snow year, a

33、 rich year. 瑞雪兆丰年。19. Never say die! 永不言败！20. The best mirror is a friends eye. 朋友的眼睛是最好的镜子。 21. Faith will move mountain. 精诚所至，金石为开。 22. A life without a friend is a life without a sun. 人生没有朋友，犹如生活没有了太阳。 23. Great wits have short memories.贵人多忘事。 24. Do well and have well. 善有善报。25. A bad thing never

34、 dies. 坏事传千年。26. Four eyes see more than two. 人多识广/集思广益。27. Diligence is the parent of success. 勤劳是成功的根本。28. Water dropping day by day wears the hardest rock away.滴水穿石。29. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. 抱最好的愿望，做最坏的打算。 30. While there is life, there is hope. /Debt is better than death.

35、 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。/有生命就有希望。31. Where there is a will, there is a way. 功夫不负有心人。/有志者事竟成。32. Where there is great love, there are always miracles. 哪里有真爱存在，哪里就有奇迹。33. Where there is smoke, there is fire. 无风不起浪。34. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。35. A stitch i

36、n time saves nine. 及时缝一针能省九针。/小洞不补，大洞吃苦。36. Never too old to learn, never too late to turn. 亡羊补牢，为时不晚。37. Dont claim to know what you dont know. 不要不懂装懂。38. Do in Rome as Roman do. 入乡随俗。39. Rome was not built in a day. 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。40. Sharpening your axe will not delay your job of cutting wood. 磨刀不误砍柴

37、工。 41. Things of a kind come together, people a mind fall into a group. 物以类聚,人以群分。 42. One mans meat is another mans poison. 萝卜白菜,各有所爱。43. like author like book.文如其人。46. Like for like. 惺惺相惜。47. Like teacher like pupil. 有其师必有其徒。48. Gods that run many hares kill none.贪多必失。49. Practice makes perfect. 熟

38、能生巧。50. Actions speak louder than words. 行胜于言。51. You cannot eat your cake and have it. 鱼与熊掌，不可兼得。52. One loses by pride and gains by modesty. 满招损,谦受益。53. Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌。54. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 每日一苹果远离医生。55. Time past cannot be called back again. 时光不倒流。56. A drop of wat

39、er cannot make a sea, and a tree cannot make a wood. 滴水不成海，独木不成林。57. If you venture nothing, you will have nothing. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子。58.The tree is known by its fruit. 观其行知其人。59. All work no play makes Jack a dull boy. 只会用功不玩耍,聪明的孩子也变傻。60. The pot calls the kettle black. 五十步笑百步。61. Unkindness often reacts

40、on the unkind person. 恶有恶报。62. Todays work should never be left over till tomorrow. 今日事今日毕。63. Nothing so bad but might have been worse. 塞翁失马,焉知非福。 64. God helps those who help themselves. 自助者天助。65. Complacency is the enemy of study. 学习的敌人是自己的满足。66. A fox may grow gray, but never good.江山易改，本性难移。67.

41、A friend without faults will never be found. 没有十全十美的朋友。68. A good beginning is half done. 良好的开端是成功的一半。69. A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever. 一本好书，相伴一生。70. A good medicine tastes bitter. 良药苦口。71. A leopard cannot change its spots.积习难改。72. A little knowledge is a dangerous

42、 thing. 一知半解，自欺欺人。73. All good things come to an end. 天下没有不散的筵席。74. Justice has long arms. 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。75A man becomes learned by asking questions. 不耻下问才能有学问。76. A man can do no more than he can. 凡事都应量力而行。77. A man cannot spin and reel at the same time. 一心不能二用。78. Diamond cuts diamond. 强中自有强中手。79. Doi

43、ng is better than saying. 与其挂在嘴上，不如落实在行动上。80. Do it now. 机不可失，时不再来。81. It is the unforeseen that always happens. 天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。82. Dont put off till tomorrow what should be done today.今日事，今日毕。83. Do well and have well. 善有善报。84. Easy come, easy go. 来也匆匆，去也匆匆。85. Every advantage has its disadvantage.有

44、利必有弊。86. Every day is not Sunday. 好景不常在。87. Every man has his faults. 金无足赤，人无完人。88. Every man has his weak side. 人人都有弱点。89. Every potter praises hit pot. 王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸。90. Experience must be bought. 吃一堑，长一智。91. Far from eye, far from heart. 眼不见，心不烦。92. First come, first served. 先来后到。93. Judge not from a

45、ppearances.人不可貌相，海不可斗量。94. Gold will not buy anything.黄金并非万能。95. He laughs best who laughs last.谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好。96. He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. 想不犯错误，就一事无成。97. Learn not and know not. 不学无术。98. It is never too old to learn. 活到老，学到老。 99. It takes three generations to make a gentleman.十年树木，百年树人。100. It is the first step that costs troublesome. 万事开头难。