Yes, over time English has picked up many French words and Latin prefixes - part of this is due to the mixture of cultures. Much like the inhabitants of a conguered country might mix portions of the invader's religion with their own, they'll do the same with language. The Anglos got invaded by the Normans and Romans, but the languages mixed. The oldest languages, if memory serves, of Great Britian are Welsh, Gallic and whatever language is in Yorkshire. Also Gaule or Breton in Brittany.
Again not a linguist and my memory of it is foggy.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2006-09-18 12:19 am (UTC)Yes, over time English has picked up many French words and Latin prefixes - part of this is due to the mixture of cultures. Much like the inhabitants of a conguered country might mix portions of the invader's religion with their own, they'll do the same with language. The Anglos got invaded by the Normans and Romans, but the languages mixed. The oldest languages, if memory serves, of Great Britian are Welsh, Gallic and whatever language is in Yorkshire. Also Gaule or Breton in Brittany.
Again not a linguist and my memory of it is foggy.