generaldu
Senior Addict
The subway charms us so, where balmy breezes blow, to and fro. - Lorenz Hart - "Manhattan"
Posts: 312
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Post by generaldu on May 31, 2005 12:23:13 GMT -5
One generalization is that English terms for food on the table derive from French, e.g., pork, beef, poultry, etc. but terms for the creatures in the flesh, pig, cow, chicken favor the Anglo-Saxon or Germanic roots.
This was probably a contribution of the Norman ruling class of England, who continued to speak French for some after the conquest.
In one of our previous meanderings we addressed the fact that the famous English King "Richard the Lionhearted" was in fact known as "Richard Cour de Leon" and spoke English as a second language.
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Post by florel on May 31, 2005 12:52:00 GMT -5
From the time of Guillaume le Conquerant (aka William the Conqueror) until now, English speakers have appropriated french vocabularies sometimes with transformation of their original meanings. I don't criticize it because it's a natural linguistic phenomenon that we can see everywhere in the world. But that's the reason why we have to be cautious when we translate French into English or vice versa. There are many faux amis.
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Post by moreshige on May 31, 2005 22:29:26 GMT -5
Were the English theives of French language? I thought most of the French words came from the Norman invasion of 1066. That may be true, but we've continued with our taste for French pork apace. I'm not certain on this, but I doubt the Normans had many restaurants in Britain. Also, you guys fingered "intellectuals," but I think you should give equal blame to Pepe LePew. Of course, he might be an intellectual... ;D Bo I thought all French people spoke English like Pepe LePew....no? lol
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generaldu
Senior Addict
The subway charms us so, where balmy breezes blow, to and fro. - Lorenz Hart - "Manhattan"
Posts: 312
|
Post by generaldu on Jun 1, 2005 8:39:21 GMT -5
With reference to American vocabulary, we largely owe to the French the spelling of the conventional names that are assigned to the various Native American cultures, in many cases French speaking explorers and trappers being the first Europeans to make contact as they ventured from the Northeast colonies in North America.
Terms like Iroquois, Algonquin, Sioux, Nez Perce, etc. can scarcely hide their French roots although we've modified their pronunciation to suit American English phonetics.
On the other hand, those Native Americans of the Southwest, first encountered by Spanish speaking settlers, are known to us by names derived from that language, e.g., Apache, Comanche, etc.
From the influence of Spanish culture in that region, much of our basic cowboy terminology also derives from Spanish, e. g., lasso, buckaroo (from vaquero), rodeo, etc.
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Post by TheBo on Jun 1, 2005 10:02:17 GMT -5
Sigh. My heart is beating as the wings of a dying bird. Words, words, my dreadful love. I think "The Creatures in the Flesh" should be a title for a poem. Bo
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