The Great Christmas Debate

@Olivier5,

Quote:

Those must be very small halves, given there are more French than Germanic words in English

A goodly portion are French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_French_origin

1 Reply

@farmerman,

Less devoted to avarice, but more devoted to gluttony?

Where do i sign up?

0 Replies

@Miss L Toad,

This issue has been discussed at length upthread. My best estimate is that words of French origin represent 41% of the 10,000 most frequently used words. Words of Latin origin are as numerous as French borrowings but used less frequently, on average.

Source: bottom of page 67 of Origins of the English Language by Joseph M. Williams.
http://books.google.com/books?id=RamwAZ6fpaoC&pg=PA67&lpg=PP1&focus=viewport&dq=Origins+of+the+English+Language+Joseph+M.+Williams+(3)&output=html_text

1 Reply

@Smileyrius,

Smileyrius wrote:

If the origin of most of our christmas traditions are to be believed, can we really call it a christian celebration?

sure

why not

call it what you like

and smile!

0 Replies

@Olivier5,

Olivier5 wrote:

This issue has been discussed at length upthread. My best estimate is that words of French origin represent 41% of the 10,000 most frequently used words. Words of Latin origin are as numerous as French borrowings but used less frequently, on average.

"Estimates" usually aren't as precise as "41%." Ten-thousand most frequently used words sounds like an estimate figure.

And, why would it matter? When did any nationality give credit to another nationality for anything, other than the plagues? You might be looking in the wrong places for gratitude.

1 Reply

@Foofie,

Your entire personality looks like a poor estimate to me...

And I am not looking for gratitude, just interested in language and history.

2 Replies

@Olivier5,

Olivier5 wrote:

Your entire personality looks like a poor estimate to me...

Feel better now that you said that?

0 Replies

@Olivier5,

Olivier5 wrote:

Your entire personality looks like a poor estimate to me...

What is this supposed to mean?

It reminds me of the retorts of children.

3 Replies

@Finn dAbuzz,

It means there's something else to add to the list of things that have shot right over your head.

0 Replies

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

It reminds me of the retorts of children.

Quote:

Finn, I understand you are humorless, and believe it is your solemn responsibility to point out all the blemishes you assume others have not noticed or stupidly ignore.

http://able2know.org/topic/228375-6#post-5527729

This bears repeating, only very dull humourless people go on about immature others are. It's the sort of thing a teenage girl does.

0 Replies

@Finn dAbuzz,

Seems to me that Foof is a poor approximation for the web persona he or she is trying to project. He or she makes rather bizarre statements, such as this one:

Quote:

"Estimates" usually aren't as precise as "41%." Ten-thousand most frequently used words sounds like an estimate figure.

He thinks he can look at a figure like 41% and conclude on its face that it's not an estimate, but 10,000 "sounds like" an estimate.... Just an example of how his mix of ignorance and pretense comes across as really odd.

1 Reply

@Olivier5,

I don't agree but at least I now understand what you wrote.

Thanks for not being a dick like izzy.

The Great Christmas Debate

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