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The French Foundation of English: Exploring Our Linguistic Lineage.
The article, authored by Henry Samuel and Flora Bowen, discusses a new book by French linguist Bernard Cerquiglini which provocatively claims that the English language is essentially “badly pronounced French.” Cerquiglini argues that French has significantly influenced English, providing a substantial portion of its vocabulary, particularly in areas like abstract terminology, commerce, administration, legal, and political terms. He asserts that English’s global influence and prestige are due to this massive French influence. Cerquiglini’s perspective reflects a long-standing linguistic interaction between English and French, dating back to the Norman Conquest and the consequent integration of French into English society and language. This perspective offers an intriguing viewpoint on the historical and linguistic relationship between English and French.
- This discussion was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by EFL CAFE.
telegraph.co.uk
‘English is not a language – it’s just badly spoken French’
English might be the most spoken language in the world, but as a new book claims, it owes a startling amount to its Gallic origins
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