Question

Make a list of French and Latin vocabulary which entered the English language during the Middle English period (after the Norman Conquest) and divide it into at least 6 categories such as military, law, government, architecture, household, food, and religion.

Answer 1

During the Middle English period, the English language incorporated several vocabularies that involved military, household, religion, food, government, law, and architecture. The diverse sources proved that 45% of all English words were of French origin; the words adopted were approximately 80,000 words (Trips et al., 253). The French language is mainly derived from Latin with words accounting for about 60% of English vocabulary. The effect on the languages was experienced after the Normans invaded England in 1066; their French language had a great effect on Latin and hence Latin indirectly influenced English (Johnson et al., 413).

Religious Vocabularies

Clergy, diocese, mas, parish, cloister, preach, priest, prayer, friar, Sacristy, vicar, vestry.

Economic and political Vocabularies

Buy, sell, commerce/trade, vend/sell, withdraw, alliance, protocol, passport, détente, diplomacy, attaché, envoy, demarche, entente, treaty, accord, embassy, communiqué, chancery, and many others.

 Household and Architecture

Beef/ox, mutton, sheep, pork/pig, veal/calf, fruit, car, use, person, people, table, niche, pilaster, lintel, aisle, arch, buttress, bay, façade, terrace, and lunette

Law

Liberty/freedom, fairness, justice

Government vocabularies

Minister, mayor, parliament, council, bailiff, chancellor, duke,

Military vocabularies

Surcoat, mail, armor, dungeon, baldric,  hauberk,  portcullis and rampart, captain, sergeant, corporal, colonel, lieutenant, general, admiral, soldier, pistol, officer, corps, army, cordon sanitaire, reconnaissance, surveillance, troop,  terrain, and many others.

 

During the Middle English period English language incorporated several vocabularies that involved military, household, religion, food, government, law and architecture.