French and English are Almost Cousins

Did You Know? French and English are Almost Cousins!

We tend to think of languages, or language families, as something hermetic. In fact, languages are ever changing and permeable to other languages they come into contact with. The example of both French and English is a case in point. Over 10 000 words in English come from French. And we are not talking about recent additions such as “croissant “or “déjà vu”. We are talking about old words such as budget, which comes from the French “bougette,” as small sack to hold coins. Or “nurse,” the woman who nursed noblewomen’s babies. This one comes from the French “nourrice.”

But why are there so many French words in the English language?

A Conqueror with a Huge Legacy

You can blame king Harold Godwinson for that. Before he lost the Battle of Hastings, in 1066, English was a quite different language. It is now referred to as old English and was a mixture of Angle and Saxon dialects, both of them Germanic. I hear you thinking: “Angle and Saxon, that is where Anglo-Saxon comes from.” And you would be right!

The winner of this battle, at Hastings, was William the Conqueror or Guillaume le Conquérant. He was the duke of Normandie, and he spoke a Normand-French dialect. Well, mostly a French dialect with Normand influences. Keep in mind this battle took place in 1066. The French language was also quite different at that time. The first written proof of this language dates to about two hundred years prior to that battle, so it was a new language, still evolving.

William duke of Normandie had a supersized ego. He thought he was born for more than a simple dukedom: he wanted to be king. He took advantage of a quarrel over the English throne to overthrow the ruling monarch. That was when he fought him at Hastings and won the battle.

Ok, so what does all this have to do with language? It is quite simple, really. Even mundane. The new king brought with him his Normand courtiers, all of whom spoke this French dialect. Being at the top of the social and economical ladder, the people who were part of the Anglo-Saxon nobility had no choice but to adapt to the new language if they wished to remain in their positions.

Notice how I used the word “adapt” and not “adopt”.  They did not stop speaking old English; they just added French words to the language they already spoke. And this is how thousands of words were borrowed from French into English.

Speaking French, to Look Like a Star

Eventually, French was regarded as the most noble language to exist in Europe. All royal courts adopted it as their language of choice. It became, as such, the language of diplomacy since all crowned heads and their courts could speak it.

Finally, it was the language common people tried to use so they would look refined. You know how, nowadays, people can purchase the same jacket as a famous actor so they will look cool? The way to look like a celebrity in the age of the Plantagenets and the Tudors was to speak French. We can still hear French words in today’s English, spoken by people all around the world! And even though it is no longer the language of diplomacy, French is still very important on a global scale, when it comes down to world politics.

Closely Related Equals Easier to Learn

The fact they are so closely related means it is that much easier for English-speakers to learn French than it is for them to learn Slavic, Arabic or Asian languages. At Alliance française Ottawa, our teachers specialize in teaching French for a variety of purposes to a wide range of students. Perhaps you need it for work or school, or in order to obtain your Canadian citizenship? Whatever your reasons may be, we have a class for you. Don’t wait: call us now!