Borrowing Language Stocks: The case of English Language
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Borrowing is one way of adding new vocabulary items to a language. Speakers of a language often have contact with speakers of other languages. If a speaker of one of these languages does not have a readily available word for something in the world and a speaker of the other language does, the first speaker often borrows the word from theAbstract
Since the 5th century English has borrowed words from different languages of the world. There is hardly a language with which speakers of English have come in contact that has not served as the source of borrowing. Trade and conquest have been important factors in the introduction of new words and ideas. Some words have entered English, not by direct contact with the language, but indirectly through an intervening language. Although English has borrowed a large number of words from different languages of the world, the most essential English words are native English. Most old English words were Germanic. The Middle English period mostly came from Latin. Others came from French. Many Greek words came into English through Latin. Modem English has continued to borrow mainly from Arabic and other languages of the world. At present, however, borrowing is taking place with its own dialects (American and British English). Studying the sources of borrowed words could be an exciting endeavor and intellectual exercise in addition to providing a basis for comparing languages that may make individuals more sensitive and aware of the forms and structures of their own languages