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Julistars1959 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
The Original Ten
0 Hello all, 02 br
00 First, an introduction: I live in Spain and teach English as a second language, and must confess I took it up as an alternative to unemployment about 10 years ago, as my 'real' profession was dancer and dance teacher. However, having worked with kids since I went to school with them, I thought teaching my own language was a fair choice. I have had a lot of trials and errors in how to get the pupils interested in the classes after they've come out of school and had about 8 hours in front of books and stuffy profs, so I add a little useless but interesting information every now and then. 02 br
00 So, I'm hunting for a specific titbit of useless info here, and if someone can come up with the goods, I shall be more than grateful! 02 br
00 So here's the thing. 02 br
00 While watching a documentary on England and its invaders and the way it changed the English language, one particular gentleman being interviewed said that of the original English language BEFORE any invasion there only remain ten words. Only ten. Now that caught my attention, but try as I might I have not had any success in finding out what these ten words are as the afore mentioned man did not specify what they were, and my net surfing resembles more a doggy-paddle in the middle of an eddy than anything else; hence, zero findings. 02 br
00 So, anyone out there has any idea what these magical ten words are, could you please post them? It should give me (and others on this forum) fuel for a few classes. 02 br
00 Thank you all so much, Julistars 0-
00 First, an introduction: I live in Spain and teach English as a second language, and must confess I took it up as an alternative to unemployment about 10 years ago, as my 'real' profession was dancer and dance teacher. However, having worked with kids since I went to school with them, I thought teaching my own language was a fair choice. I have had a lot of trials and errors in how to get the pupils interested in the classes after they've come out of school and had about 8 hours in front of books and stuffy profs, so I add a little useless but interesting information every now and then. 02 br
00 So, I'm hunting for a specific titbit of useless info here, and if someone can come up with the goods, I shall be more than grateful! 02 br
00 So here's the thing. 02 br
00 While watching a documentary on England and its invaders and the way it changed the English language, one particular gentleman being interviewed said that of the original English language BEFORE any invasion there only remain ten words. Only ten. Now that caught my attention, but try as I might I have not had any success in finding out what these ten words are as the afore mentioned man did not specify what they were, and my net surfing resembles more a doggy-paddle in the middle of an eddy than anything else; hence, zero findings. 02 br
00 So, anyone out there has any idea what these magical ten words are, could you please post them? It should give me (and others on this forum) fuel for a few classes. 02 br
00 Thank you all so much, Julistars 0-
Top answer
0 Hi Julistars and welcome to English Forums. ) in both orthography and meaning. 0-
- 0 Hi Julistars and welcome to English Forums.
- ) in both orthography and meaning.
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15 Answers
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0 Hi Julistars and welcome to English Forums. 02 br
02 br
00 You haven't mentioned which invaders the documentary spoke of, but in any case, I have not heard of a List of Ten, though it is possible that a few words remain unchanged (from when?) in both orthography and meaning. 0-
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00 You haven't mentioned which invaders the documentary spoke of, but in any case, I have not heard of a List of Ten, though it is possible that a few words remain unchanged (from when?) in both orthography and meaning. 0-
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0 julistars1959, 02 br
00 If you don't mind, what do you mean by "doggy-paddle in the middle of an eddy". I've never heard that one before. Thanks. 0-
00 If you don't mind, what do you mean by "doggy-paddle in the middle of an eddy". I've never heard that one before. Thanks. 0-
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0 Thanks for the welcome! 02 br
00 The documentary was about all of the invasions that England has suffered - Roman, Viking Norman, Saxon etc. (and not necessarily in that order) - and it was one linguistic professor who was talking about how different invaders had introduced new words into the English language while they were on our soil. I'm presuming that the ancient English is a f
00 The documentary was about all of the invasions that England has suffered - Roman, Viking Norman, Saxon etc. (and not necessarily in that order) - and it was one linguistic professor who was talking about how different invaders had introduced new words into the English language while they were on our soil. I'm presuming that the ancient English is a f
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0 I suspect that the English language, before any invasions, comprised only ten words - one of which was "ugh". 05 0 010id 5
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0 Hi, Julistars! 02 br
02 br
00 I continue searching but it is the first thing I've found that may be useful: 02 br
05 0 00 02 br
00 Download this book (it's free) and see Chapter IX. 02 br
02 br
00 BTW, while searching I came across articles refuting there being a reliable list of such words. 05 1 02 br
02 br
00 Cheers!
02 br
00 I continue searching but it is the first thing I've found that may be useful: 02 br
05 0 00 02 br
00 Download this book (it's free) and see Chapter IX. 02 br
02 br
00 BTW, while searching I came across articles refuting there being a reliable list of such words. 05 1 02 br
02 br
00 Cheers!
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0 Well, well. Finding all sorts of things... 02 br
00 To add to Eimai's contribution of 'ugh' (although it is a bit too universal to be exclusively British 05 0 00 ), I found a few words from Miche's contribution - thank you very much Miche! 02 br
00 Many words in the Celtic list were familiar but are not used today in the same way. However, I found these that still are
00 To add to Eimai's contribution of 'ugh' (although it is a bit too universal to be exclusively British 05 0 00 ), I found a few words from Miche's contribution - thank you very much Miche! 02 br
00 Many words in the Celtic list were familiar but are not used today in the same way. However, I found these that still are
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0 Found some interesting dictionary sites, in case they're of any use: 02 br
00 etymonline.com 02 br
00 AskOxford.com 02 br
00 yourdictionary.com 02 br
00 and to read another of Skeat's books: 02 br
05 0 00 02 br
02 br
00 But alas, no more insight to the words. I thinks it's a dead end and Miche's find was the closest we'll g
00 etymonline.com 02 br
00 AskOxford.com 02 br
00 yourdictionary.com 02 br
00 and to read another of Skeat's books: 02 br
05 0 00 02 br
02 br
00 But alas, no more insight to the words. I thinks it's a dead end and Miche's find was the closest we'll g
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0 I heard "dun" is one of the few Celtic words Anglo-Saxons took into their language(s) at the time of their arrival to England. The etymon of London is "Lug's dun"? 02 br
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00 paco 0-
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00 paco 0-
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0 Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue is an interesting read about the history and development of the English language. It has some discussion of the oldest surviving words in the English language, but unfortunately I can't remember them off the top of my head. 02 br
00 I do remember it stating that of the small group of words which have survived from the languages earliest days, many are stil
00 I do remember it stating that of the small group of words which have survived from the languages earliest days, many are stil
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0 Hmmm... 02 br
00 dun (adj.) 02 br
00 O.E. dunn "dingy brown, dark-colored," perhaps from Celt. (cf. O.Ir. donn "dark"), from PIE *donnos, *dusnos "dark." 02 br
00 lug (n.) 02 br
00 1624, "handle of a pitcher," from lugge (Scot.) "earflap of a cap, ear" (1495; in 19c. Scotland this was the only word for "ear"), probably from Scand. (cf. Swed. lugg "f
00 dun (adj.) 02 br
00 O.E. dunn "dingy brown, dark-colored," perhaps from Celt. (cf. O.Ir. donn "dark"), from PIE *donnos, *dusnos "dark." 02 br
00 lug (n.) 02 br
00 1624, "handle of a pitcher," from lugge (Scot.) "earflap of a cap, ear" (1495; in 19c. Scotland this was the only word for "ear"), probably from Scand. (cf. Swed. lugg "f
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