Words-forming Ability
Native words can form lots of derivatives and compounds. For instance: • Sun sunflower sunglasses • Sunrise sunset sunbeam(阳光) • sunny
Combining forms in ME(构词成分)
-Meter - Radio
Iso Hydro-
Words of Native Origin
English vocabulary(based on origin) • Native words • Borrowed words
Native words: foundation and core of English vocabulary. 1. In structure: mostly monosyllabic words; 2.In meaning: fundamental concepts dealing with everyday objects and things; 3.In grammar: include most parts of speech. 4. e.g.: moon, tree ,bird, sand, wife, hold, drive,meat,house, sail, me, two …
Greek Element
---No direct borrowing from Greek into Old English and Middle English; chiefly through the medium of Latin or French
• • • • Linguistics: grammar, lexicology, semantics Literature: comedy, tragedy, poet Natural science: biology, physics Social science: philosophy, theory, economics
Sources of English Vocabulary
Lecture 3
Etymological Twins in English
Etymological Twins/variants
Definition: A few pairs of words which came from the same language source. At the beginning: similar not only in form but also in meaning. Later on: their sense became divergent, esp. today. E.g. human & humane (originated both in French & Latin)
French Element
French Loan-words in Middle English Period (every-day life) • Government: government, empire, state • Law: crime, evidence, judgment, justice • Army: arms, army, captain, soldier, spy After Middle English Period • Arts: renaissance, baton（指挥棒） • Fashion & diplomatical terms: blouse, beret, （贝雷帽） entente（和约）, communism
Foreign Elements in Modern English
--- Ways of the entry into the English vocabulary
1. Through oral speech
----by immediate contact between the peoples
E.g. black humour (French humour noir) 人体肠道内的面积超过200平方米，而我们 住的面积还不到20平方米，所以，我们还不如 一坨屎！ Dry humour（冷幽默） 有一只企鹅很无聊，就拔自己的毛打发 时间，后来终于拔掉了最后一根毛。这个时候 它忽然说：啊呀，好冷啊~
Borrowed Words ---Latin, Greek and French contribute a lot to English
Four Groups of Loan-words
• Aliens---borrowed from a foreign language without any change of the foreign sound and spelling. E.g. elite, automobile • Denizens---words taken from a foreign language with a transformation of foreign sound and spelling into native words. E.g. sky, egg (Scandinavian);
When you're born, you're pink. When you grow up, you're white. When you're ill, you're green. When you go out in the sun, you go red. When you're cold, you go blue. When you die, you're purple. And you have the nerve to call me colored?
(to move, set, place sb. or sth. to a stated place)
The captain put the ship back to the port for repairs.
(to turn, guide, direct a boat or horse in a stated place)
Features of Native words • The polysemic character • The collocability • Word-forming ability
The polysemic Character
Multiple-meaning
You put too much salt in your food.
I want to know how to put this in French.
(to express sth. in words)
Collocability of Native ords
Many common-used expressions and phrases in English are made up of native words. For instance: Eye • An eye for an eye • To be in the public eye • To catch someone’s eye • Easy on the eye-----(of people) attractive, pretty • To see eye to eye with----to agree completely
2. Through written speech ---by indirect contact through books 3. Through invaders.
The Scandinavian Element
There was great similarity between the languages of the English and Scandinavians. Most of Scandinavian loan-words belong to the English basic stock of words/are practical every day words. E.g. birth, sister, guest, skill A number of Scandinavian law-terms and words relating to naval warfare（海战） entered Old English, but they disappeared after the Norman Conquest.
poorness (French root + English suffix); hydroplane (Greek element hydro+ Latin element
plane)
• Translation loans--- borrowed from foreign languages by means of translation.
• Semantic borrowings---acquired a new meaning under the influence of other languages.
For instance: • Gift----OE, the price of wife; Scandinavian, gift • The four modernization • Three Represents • Shock brigade or shock worker • Post-liberation
Latin Element
1st period: English owes geographical names ending in chester, as Manchester, Lancaster 2nd period: words of religion, foreign production; E.g. church, bishop（主教）, master（大师） 3rd period: the Norman Conquest upon the English language; E.g. history, picture, quiet 4th period: loans from Latin embracing abstract and scientific words; E.g. expectation, vacuum