The Vocabularist – Neither lent nor borrowed be…

More borrowed than lent

We like to think of English as the global language.

However, its enduring success is largely due to its ability to assimilate and anglicise words from other languages…..a magpie of a language if you will.

Consider these modern English words which have been borrowed from other languages.

• Gorilla – Greek Gorillai, a tribe of hairy women, perhaps of African origin
• Hamster – Middle High German hamastra
• Kangaroo – Aboriginal language of Guugu Yimidhirr, gangurru , referring to a species of kangaroo
• Kink – Dutch nautical term, “twist in a rope”
• Moccasin – Native American Indian,Powhatan mäkäsn and Ojibwa makisin
• Molasses – Portuguese melaços, from Late Latin mellceum, from Latin mel, “honey”
• Whiskey – Old Irish uisce, “water,” and bethad, “of life”

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