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Zeeshan Ali Bhatti
Zeeshan Ali Bhatti
Old English
Presented By :- Zeeshan Ali
Three Latin Influences on Old English
For several hundred years, while the Germanic tribes who later
became the English were still occupying their continental homes,
they has various relations with the Romans, trough which they
acquired a considerable number of Latin words. Later when they
came to England they saw the evidences of the long Roman rule in
the island and learned from the Celts a few Latin words which had
been acquired by them. A century and a half later still, when
Roman missionaries reintroduced Christianity into the island, this
new cultural influence resulted in a really extensive adoption of
Latin elements into the language. There were thus three distinct
occasions on which borrowing from Latin occurred before the end
of the Old English period.
Latin Influence of the Zero Period.
Continental Borrowing
The first Latin words to find their way into the English
language owe their adoption to the early contact between
the Romans and the Germanic tribes on the continent.
Several hundred Latin words found in the various
Germanic dialects at an early date testify to the extensive
intercourse between the two people. Such intercourse was
certain to carry words from one language to the other.
The adopted words naturally indicate the new conceptions
which the Teutons acquired from this contact with a higher
civilization.
Borrowed words of the Zero Period.
War: battle – banner – javelin- wall – pit – road – street- mile – courtesan.