A list of 19 words by john.
- sowwas added by john and appears on 39 lists
- sleepwas added by john and appears on 87 lists
- towas added by john and appears on 58 lists
- onwas added by john and appears on 57 lists
- atwas added by john and appears on 47 lists
- andwas added by john and appears on 78 lists
- livewas added by john and appears on 65 lists
- housewas added by john and appears on 87 lists
- childwas added by john and appears on 66 lists
- brotherwas added by john and appears on 65 lists
- sisterwas added by john and appears on 59 lists
- womanwas added by john and appears on 56 lists
- manwas added by john and appears on 94 lists
- lovewas added by john and appears on 369 lists
- fightwas added by john and appears on 52 lists
- eatwas added by john and appears on 46 lists
- drinkwas added by john and appears on 50 lists
- fuckwas added by john and appears on 153 lists
- cowwas added by john and appears on 79 lists
chained_bear commented on the list anglo-saxon-words
One of the coolest things I learned about the English language is the reason why so many words for food, such as beef, are rooted in Norman French, while the words for those animals, such as cow, are rooted in Anglo-Saxon. After the Conquest, French was considered the language of culture and of power, and consequently those who worked with their hands--i.e. the producers of the beef--called it one thing (cow, ox, etc.), while those who enjoyed the fruits of their labors (the Normans) called it by their own word, "boeuf" (or however you spell it in Old French). That just clicked something in my head and made the history of English such a fascinating subject. Thanks for this list!
February 22, 2007
reesetee commented on the list anglo-saxon-words
Funny--that's one of the lessons that stuck with me as well. Fascinating.
February 22, 2007
seanahan commented on the list anglo-saxon-words
Another interesting thing is that what we consider swears or vulgar are typically of Anglo-Saxon origin, while the accepted terms come from Latin, or Norman. For example, shit vs. feces.
February 22, 2007
evin290 commented on the list anglo-saxon-words
"Kind" is the only word meaning "type" that comes from Anglo-Saxon. Every other word, including "sort", "genre", ect. all come from French. :P
August 30, 2007