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English lexical borrowing from French : some neglected aspects| old_uid | 9717 |
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| title | English lexical borrowing from French : some neglected aspects |
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| start_date | 2011/02/25 |
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| schedule | 10h30 |
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| online | no |
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| summary | It is well known that English borrowed very many words from French in the Middle English and early modern English periods (c1150-c1500 and c1500-c1700). Histories of English normally focus on borrowing from French in the centuries following the Norman Conquest, and on borrowing directly from Latin in the early modern period. However, the continuing lexical influence of French in later centuries is often neglected.
Recent research has identified that a large proportion of the words which came into English from Latin or French could theoretically have come from either language. Close attention to the lexicographical record for French and English suggests that in many cases borrowing was partly from French and partly from Latin.
Additionally, even in the sixteenth century French translations of Latin and Greek works often acted as the intermediary for borrowing into English.
Traditionally scholarship has focused on dates of first attestation. Even by this measure, the level of borrowing from French remained very high right through the early modern period. Borrowing directly from Latin increases dramatically, but the level of borrowing from French remains fairly constant.
Paying attention only to dates of first attestation can sometimes give a distorted picture. Many borrowed words show a very gradual increase in frequency : this could result from internal spread in English, between dialects, and between registers, stylistic levels, etc. ; or it could result from reinforcement from the donor language. Reinforcement from French is clearly shown when we find continuing borrowing of forms and/or senses from French, often centuries after the initial borrowing of a word into English.
The rich lexicographical resources available today for English and French enable etymologists of English to give a much more rounded picture of French lexical influence on English. |
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| responsibles | Knittel, Servas |
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