Romance loans in English

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• INTRODUCTION
• LATIN LOANS
  • OLDER LATIN LOANS
    • Roman and Germanic occupation
    • Christianization
  • THE ‛AUREATE TERMS’
  • 18TH CENTURY LOANS – WORDS OF INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY
  • THE ORIGIN OF THE CALENDAR TERMINOLOGY
• FRENCH LOANS
  • PRE-CONQUEST FRENCH LOANS
  • THE NORMAN CONQUEST AND ITS LINGUISTIC CONSEQUENCES
• THE INKHORN CONTROVERSY
  • HARD WORDS IN ENGLISH: A LINGUISTIC AND SOCIAL PROBLEM?
  • Genteelisms for social differentiation
• BORROWING PROCESSES
  • PRONUNCIATION OF LATIN WORDS IN ENGLISH
  • REASONS FOR BORROWING
• OTHER ROMANCE LOANS
  • ITALIAN LOANS
  • SPANISH LOANS
  • PORTUGUESE LOANS

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to demonstrate that English, despite its Germanic origins, is a highly Romanized language, especially in terms of its terminology. It explores the ways and extent to which Romance languages have contributed to the current state of the English language. The main focus lies on the vocabulary adopted from Romance languages, examining questions such as which words were borrowed at what time, from which language, and why. The work also investigates possible uncertainties or discrepancies in author opinions regarding loan etymologies.

• The historical evolution of English vocabulary with a focus on Romance loans.
• The different stages of influence from various Romance languages on English lexis.
• The social and linguistic consequences of borrowing, including the Inkhorn Controversy.
• The role of Latin and other Romance languages in enriching the vocabulary and expressiveness of English.
• The impact of Romance loans on different spheres of English language use, such as literature, science, and everyday language.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the concept of language change and highlights the significant Romance influence on English, particularly from Latin and French. It outlines the historical periods of English and provides a structured overview of the Romance language family. Chapter two focuses on Latin loans, categorizing them into three groups based on historical periods: Older Latin Loans, Later Latin Loans, and Latest Latin Loans. The chapter examines the impact of Roman and Germanic occupation, the Christianization period, and the influence of the "aureate terms" during the Renaissance. It also highlights the importance of Latin in the development of calendar terminology. Chapter three explores the influence of French loans, particularly in the Anglo-Norman period following the Norman Conquest. It analyzes the different stages of French influence and discusses the social and cultural implications of the shift towards French as the dominant language in England. The chapter also investigates the pre-conquest French loans and examines the linguistic consequences of the Norman invasion. Chapter four delves into the "Inkhorn Controversy," a period of intense debate surrounding the adoption of Latin and other foreign words during the Renaissance. The chapter explores the various perspectives on borrowing, from neologizers who embraced the enrichment of the language to purists who advocated for a pure English vernacular. It examines the social and linguistic implications of using "hard words" and discusses the phenomenon of genteelisms. Chapter five provides a systematic overview of the borrowing processes involved in the assimilation of Latin words into English, including Anglicization, Francisization, and Germanication. It also discusses the pronunciation of Latin words in English, differentiating between fully assimilated and non-assimilated loans.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The primary keywords and focus topics of this work encompass the historical and linguistic relationship between English and the Romance languages, particularly Latin and French. Key concepts include language change, loan words, borrowing processes, cultural influence, social differentiation, the Inkhorn Controversy, and the enrichment of English vocabulary through the adoption of foreign terminology. The study also touches upon specific linguistic phenomena like calques, duplicates, genteelisms, and the pronunciation of Latin words in English.