Impact of Latin Influence on English Language

https://www.eng-literature.com/2015/11/impact-of-latin-influence-on-english.html

November 12, 2015 by Somnath Sarkar

Impact of Latin Influence on English Language - All About English Literature (eng-literature.com)

How has Latin influenced the English language?

The phenomenon of borrowing words and word formation is the way of enriching one language. English is a Germanic language, having a grammar and core vocabulary inherited from Proto-Germanic. However, a significant portion of the English word-hoard comes from Romance and Latinate sources. The Latin (Classical) influence on the English Language is the earliest and perhaps the greatest of all the influences. It began about the beginning of the Christian era and has still been continuing.

 The first Latin influence on English language is heralded by England’s contact with the Roman Civilization. The Latin words borrowed in this phase belong to agriculture, war and domestic life-

Subject	Latin Loan
Trade and Commerce	Wine (from Lat. ‘Vinum’) Mint (from Lat. ‘mynet’) Mil (from Lat. ‘mile’)
Domestic	Kitchen, cup, dish, cook etc.
Food	Pepper, cheese, butter, plum, milk etc.

 

After the English settled in Britain, they received a few Latin words not directly from Latin but from native. Among these one is ‘ceaster’ < Lat. ‘castre’. It survives in many places name as ending- Lancaster, Gloucester, Winchester, Manchester, Worcester etc.

With the introduction of Christianity in 597 A.D. sets in another new chapter of Latin borrowing to define the new conceptions, new religion, new ideas and new faith. We may group these Latin loan words as follows-

 

Subject	Latin Loan
Church	Angel,  anthem, hymn, minister, monk, disciple, apostle, alms, alter, Bishop, Pope, psalm, nun, shrine, candle etc.
Domestic Life	Silk, radish, pea, pine, poppy, pillow, pin, fan etc.
Plant	Beet, pine, aloes, pea, poppy, plum etc.
Education	School, master, grammar, verse etc.
Animal	Doe, lobster, phoenix, turtle etc.
Verb	Offer, spend, stop etc.

 

In the Middle English period, Latin comes via French and through translation works. The translation works. The translation of Bible gives the English people words like- ‘generation’, ‘persecution’ and ‘transformation’. 

 

Subject	Latin Loan
Law	Conspiracy, custody, legal, prosecute, testimony etc.
Theology	Scripture, incarnate, limbo etc.
Literature	Allegory, genius, intellect, prosody etc.
Science	Mechanical, solar, zenith, immune,, rational etc.

 The Great Revival of Learning, Renaissance of the 15th century come to influence the English Language immensely. The Latin word borrowed this period are often basic noun, adjective and verb.-

Noun	Radius, allusion, circus, atmosphere, bonus, picture, axis etc.
Adjective	Appropriate, domestic, medieval, filial, perfect etc.
Verb	Assassinate, benefit, affidavit, harass, exit, emancipate etc.

The flow of Latin borrowings has been going on incessantly even in the present day scenario. Words like ‘neutron’, ‘mutant’, ‘penicillin’, ‘formula’, ‘column’, have become the integral part of English vocabulary.

 

Some native nouns have Latin adjectives:

 

Native Noun	Latin Adjective
Father	Paternal
Mother	Maternal
King	Royal
Mouth	Oral
Heaven	Celestial
Mind	Mental

Undoubtedly, Latin loan words leave a huge mark to the English vocabulary. Yet one can not deny that excessive latinization of English has stunned the growth of native vocabulary.

Somnath Sarkar