Page 18 - Grasp English B1+ (Workbook)

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English has a very varied vocabulary, and the 1989 When people look at the etymology, they sometimes
Oxford English Dictionary contains definitions of focus on the original root of the word. Still, it’s often
171,476 words. However, this doesn’t include new interesting to think about how that word then
words which have started being used more recently became a part of English vocabulary and the journey
as well as some slang words or regional varieties, it travelled. For example, umbrella and prince both
and so some people believe the figure is closer to have their roots in Latin, but umbrella entered the
750,000. English vocabulary through Italian, while the prince
From Britain being invaded from the north and came with the French. And an example from Asia
the south, to travelling the world and developing would be ketchup, which came to English through
colonies abroad, English can thank its interactions trade with the Chinese but is originally a Malay word.
with cultures from around the world for its rich Some words have roots seem incredibly unrelated
vocabulary. Though the pronunciation of some to their use in English. Hamburger originally means
words may have changed slightly over the years, “from Hamburg” and isn’t specifically related to
the original root of the word can still be seen. food in its original meaning. The word started to be
used in the US after people ate a beef dish which
For example, chocolate is originally a word from
had originated in Hamburg. Similarly, bungalow
the Nahuatl people of South America (chocolatl).
comes from the Hindi word meaning “belonging
When the Spanish went to the area, they took home
to Bengal”, as it was used to describe the type of
chocolate and later traded it with the British. But not
house in which the European people lived when
all words come from so far away. In fact, penguin
they moved to the area.
has its roots in Welsh, and easel comes from just
across the sea in Holland. Though it might be When you learn more about a word, it can make it
difficult to find a proficient speaker of Old Norse easier to memorise, as you can form a creative or
nowadays, the culture left many of its words in emotional link to it. For example, van originally comes
English, such as sky. from the Persian word for caravan, and in my mind,
I see a Volkswagen camper driving across the desert!

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