Have you ever wondered how many words there are in the English language? It seems like a fairly straightforward question, but actually there is no generally accepted answer. Estimates vary hugely, ranging from 250,000 words to over 1 million words. Don’t worry though – this doesn’t mean you have to know 1 million words to be able to speak English fluently! Actually, most of these words are never used in normal daily life – it’s estimated that the average educated person uses between 20,000 and 60,000 words.
Although these estimates are very vague, I think it’s safe to say that one thing that’s definitely true is that the English language has a lot of words! In fact, it has more words than most (maybe all) of the other world languages. Compared to Spanish, for example, English has twice as many words.
Like England, the English language has a very long and eventful history. One of the reasons English has such a rich and varied vocabulary is because it has constantly ‘borrowed’ or ‘loaned’ words from other languages over the past 1500 years.
The beginning of the English language is around the 5th century. Germanic tribes in England spoke what we call ‘Old English’, which only had around 50,000 to 60,000 words. Although we call this the beginning of English, it is actually very different from modern English in many ways. For example, this is an extract from an Old English poem, ‘Beowulf’:
Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon
As you can see, it’s impossible to recognise this as the English language we speak today!
The first big influence on English was from the Viking invasions. The Vikings were groups of people from Scandinavia who invaded England by ship between around 793 and 1066. Their language, ‘Old Norse’, had a big impact on Old English. A lot of Viking words which entered the English langauge were related to shipping and farming, and many place names in England have a Viking influence. Words which were introduce to English by the Vikings include Die, dirt, husband, skirt and sky.
The Norman (French) Conquest of England in 1066 was the next big influence on the English language. Actually, for the next 300 years, the Royal family and nobility in England spoke French, although English was still spoken by the common people. Many borrowed French words in English are related to the law, government, religion and cooking, and often are formal words. Some examples of French words which became English are – government, evidence, prayer, enemy, marine, navy, soldier, beef, boil and butcher. When there are two words in English with the same meaning, the more formal word is often of French origin.
There are thousands and thousands of words in English borrowed from Latin. Many of these words entered the English language during The Renaissance. The Renaissance was a cultural movement in Europe that involved the revival of learning based on classical sources. From the beginning of the 16th Century it had a big effect on English, introducing many new words, from Greek as well as Latin. Words that entered the English language at this time include - allusion, anachronism, democratic, dexterity, enthusiasm, imaginary, juvenile, pernicious, and sophisticated. Latin words in English are often formal words, and related to religion, culture, and science amongst other things.
By the time of Shakespeare, in the mid to late 16th century, English was recognisable as the language we speak today, although it was still to undergo many changes. Recently, there have been several words ‘borrowed’ from Japanese, including sushi, futon, sumo, tofu, tsunami and karaoke. Although be careful when you say these words as the pronunciation sometimes changes! Karaoke, for example, sounds more like ‘ka – ri – owe – ki’.
English is always constantly changing and developing and borrowing new words. Nobody can ever speak ‘perfect English’ because ‘perfect English’ doesn’t exist! I think it’s important to focus not on speaking ‘perfect English’, but on using English as a communication tool – sometimes it’s not what you know but how you use it!
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Definitions
Straightforward – Simple and easy to understand
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/straightforward
Estimate – Approximate guess
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/estimate
Vague – Not clear
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vague
It’s safe to say – This expression is often used in in casual conversation, meaning that something is true, and cannot be disagreed with. For example, ‘It’s safe to say George Bush isn’t the most popular man in Iraq’.
Eventful – Many things happened. For example, ‘I had a pretty eventful day – I got a new job, and got engaged!’
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/eventful
Rich – Rich means to have lots of money, but it has many other meanings. In this context, it means varied and full of value.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rich
Germanic tribes – Groups of people from Northern Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peoples
Extract – This word has many meanings. Here it means part of a poem.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extract
Impact – Influence or effect on something
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/impact
Related to – To be associated to, or have a connection with
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/related
Norman Conquest – Invasion of England by William the Conqueror, from Normandy in North West France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Conquest
Nobility – People in the upper class, with titles – for example, Lord, Lady, Duke, Duchess
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nobility
Common people – Normal people (not in the nobility/upper classes)
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/common
Formal – Not casual
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/formal
Latin – Language spoke in Ancient Rome
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/latin
The Renaissance – Cultural movement which started in Italy in the Late Middle Ages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
Revival – Restored to life
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/revival
Shakespeare – English poet and playwright
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare
Undergo – To experience
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/undergo
April 26, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I’ve understood a little English history. now i’ve noticed Enclish is the communication tool. but i should know the word which came from culture.
most japanese make some mistakes because they understand the words that translated into Japanese meanings. Then sometimes they use strange English. anyway , I speak English to forigners.even if i made lots of mistakes. ;->
April 26, 2007 at 2:54 pm
i was really impressed with this time’s post!
yeah, surely English seems to be changing!
the following is BBC radio program i listened to recently.
quite intrieguing, so check it out when you have time!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/wordofmouth.shtml
April 28, 2007 at 12:52 pm
today, i heard that people who speak English as their mother tongues is 1 billion, wheares people who speak as their second language is 3 billion.
so now we have more power than native speakers:)
in near future, everyone would say, say, “He like an apple”.
mmmnn, i am not sure whether this is good or not, though.
May 21, 2007 at 2:00 am
after having read this topic i felt i got to be smarter,and i ‘ve understood the reasoth why even native english speakers sometimes can’t communicate each othegr (like they say). when i speak or write something in english i always get nervous to try to do things accurately.but now i don’t be afraid of making mistakes(really?)