What is a troll?
To troll is to insult or provoke, sometimes using subterfuge.
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How many French words in English?
Vocabulary estimates vary according to criteria, e.g., whether derivatives are included French and English differ fundamentally in grammar, structure, and syntax. Despite this incompatibility, English has a substantial percentage of French loanwords.
How has Latin influenced the English language?
Contrary to common assumption, English is not Latinate. Latin does not underpin the structure of the English language in terms of its grammar or syntax.
Where does the word shampoo come from?
Shampoo is the Hindi/Urdu word chāmpo for a head massage with oil.
What are loanwords?
English is a Germanic language, but its lexicon ( vocabulary) has borrowed heavily from other languages. Most of these loanwords have arrived for specific historical reasons: most notably the invasions of the British Isles that occurred before the 13th Century The Romans, for example, introduced words to describe the physical character of the country they were occupying: street, wall , etc. Norman French legal terminology: judge, jury, justice, court, bailiff, defendant, verdict , etc. Isn't English really a Latinate/Romance language then? No. Loanwords do not affect the structure of the English language. An English speaker may use the word ballet, but he will not say a dancer of ballet ‚ as you would in French, Spanish, etc. A few imported terms retain their original syntax. The United Nations has a secretary general, while the chief officer of the English legal system is the attorney general . But these are rare exceptions.
Is it wrong to split an infinitive?
To boldly split the infinitive is fine - listen below: Listen! This is what Fowler says in his classic Dictionary of Modern Usage (1926). The English-speaking world may be divided into (1) those who neither know nor care what a split infinitive is; (2) those who do not know, but care very much; (3) those who know and condemn; (4) those who know and approve; and (5) those who know and distinguish. Those who neither know nor care are the vast majority, and are happy folk, to be envied. A Dictionary of Modern English Usage: The Classic First Edition Grammar For Dummies Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage (Oxford Paperback Reference) The Language Wars: A History of Proper English. by Henry Hitchings
What is 'the groove'? And groovy?
The groove on vinyl records, particularly the old 78s rpm jazz records of the 20s and 30s. The depth and width of the groove indicated the speed and beat - something later picked up by early rappers like Grandmaster Flash. Jazz musicians used 'groove' as a term of appreciation and this later became part of pop music culture - the Beatles were famously fond of the adjective groovy. Much later 'groovy' became one of the catch-phrases Austen Powers, a sign that the word had come to symobolise 1960s fantasies of personal liberation and free love.
Is the misuse of the apostrophe a modern problem?
Not according to Henry Hitchings new book: ‘The Language Wars: A History of Proper English' in the 18th-century authors were sprinkling apostrophes over everything. Though you may think the shopkeeper is ignorant and wrong to advertise “CD’s & Video’s”, he has history on his side. From the Economist Hitchings goes on to suggest that the apostrophe may be nearing its sell by date. Tell me this isn’t true, I can’t live in a world without contractions .... Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation The Language Wars: A History of Proper English