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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary
The word 'characteristically'
Hi!
I just want to ascertain whether I understand this word correctly in this particular context.
Oxford dictionary defines 'Anglicism' as a word or expression that is characteristically English. What does that actually mean? Does it mean that it is characteristically English, so that one can guess that the word comes from the English language? How about, then, a word which has been adopted into English through another language, but that word has retained the original spelling, and that word is taken from English to another language. Is that still characteristically English?
I'm sorry if that's a bit hard to follow, but I'll try to make a diagram to make it more simple:
Language X gives Y word ----> to English. English keeps the spelling/idea of the original word.
Then.
That word 'Y' is taken from English to, say, Swedish or Finnish. Is that word still characteristically English?
Please let me know if you don't understand what I'm trying to ask. I'll try to be more explicit if possible.
I just want to ascertain whether I understand this word correctly in this particular context.
Oxford dictionary defines 'Anglicism' as a word or expression that is characteristically English. What does that actually mean? Does it mean that it is characteristically English, so that one can guess that the word comes from the English language? How about, then, a word which has been adopted into English through another language, but that word has retained the original spelling, and that word is taken from English to another language. Is that still characteristically English?
I'm sorry if that's a bit hard to follow, but I'll try to make a diagram to make it more simple:
Language X gives Y word ----> to English. English keeps the spelling/idea of the original word.
Then.
That word 'Y' is taken from English to, say, Swedish or Finnish. Is that word still characteristically English?
Please let me know if you don't understand what I'm trying to ask. I'll try to be more explicit if possible.
Top answer
My dictionary: 1. an expression that is limited to English as spoken by Englishmen ( especially as contrasted with American English ); a Briticism . 2.
- My dictionary: 1.
- an expression that is limited to English as spoken by Englishmen ( especially as contrasted with American English ); a Briticism .
- 2.
- a word, idiom, or characteristic feature of the English language o ccurring in or borrowed by another language .
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2 Answers
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My dictionary:
1. an expression that is limited to English as spoken by Englishmen (especially as contrasted with American English); a Briticism.
2. a word, idiom, or characteristic feature of the English language occurring in or borrowed by another language.
1. an expression that is limited to English as spoken by Englishmen (especially as contrasted with American English); a Briticism.
2. a word, idiom, or characteristic feature of the English language occurring in or borrowed by another language.
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I think it depends on how long ago the word was loaned to English, how fully the word has been assimilated into English, and how the people speaking the final language perceive its origin. A very long-established English word of ultimately foreign origin could be termed an anglicism if the people speaking the target language have encountered it through a knowledge of or familiarity with English.
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