13 Vocabulary / Spelling – Borrowed Words in English
Category: Spelling/Vocabulary
Concept: Borrowed words in English
Connections to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language (2023):
_____B2. Language Foundations for Reading and Spelling
__________B2.1 Word Level Reading and Spelling
__________B2.2 Vocabulary
Prior Knowledge:
- The English language has frequently borrowed words from a variety of other languages. Students may or may not already recognize this. They may recognize words from their own cultural heritage that are now commonly used in English.
What’s the definition?
Etymology is the study of the origin of words. Many English words have been influenced by languages such as Old English, Latin, Greek, French, Arabic, and Indigenous languages.
What does it look/sound like?
Latin and Greek influences on English are dealt with in Chapters related to prefixes and suffixes.
The lists below offer samples of words used in English that have been borrowed from a variety of languages:
Indigenous: caribou; moose; raccoon; toboggan; squash; kayak; parka; igloo; chipmunk; coyote
Arabic: mosque; algebra; coffee; guitar; cotton; zero; giraffe; lemon; mattress; syrup; spinach
French: boutique; beautiful; sabotage; technique; camouflage; beige; budget; parole; cologne; fatigue; boulevard; resign; parachute; denim; banquet; gnaw; align; bouquet; pigeon; ambulance; ballet; restaurant; money; etiquette; chauffeur
German: German words are built systematically, as shown in these word-building equations)
- Kindergarten
Kinder (children) + garten (garden) = kindergarten (garden for children)
- Sauerkraut:
Sauer (sour) + krout (cabbage) = sauerkrout (pickled cabbage)
- Gesundheit:
Gesund (health) + heit (-ness) = gesundheit (expression after someone sneezes)
Why does it matter?
English spelling is often described as being chaotic, with few fixed rules. While there are many exceptions to regular spelling patterns, some apparent inconsistencies can be explained through an exploration of word origins. When a word enters English through another language, rather than adapting it to fit familiar phonetic patterns, the original spelling is often preserved. This may then create spelling challenges when we write these words.
How do I teach this?
Cognates:
Students whose first language is other than English may recognize words and word patterns from their native languages. Known as cognates, they share common roots and often look and sound similar.
The following list of cognates from Spanish show such similarities. Note that the stressed syllables often vary.
| English | Spanish |
| ac’ tor | ac tor’ |
| co’ lour | co lor’ |
| er’ ror | e rror’ |
| ani’ mal | a ni mal’ |
| cap’ i tal | ca pi tal’ |
| hos’ pi tal | hos pi tal’ |
| tour’ ist | tu ris’ ta |
| ar’ tist | ar tis’ ta |
Source: McQuirter Scott, R., Knowing Words: Creating Word-Rich Classrooms (Toronto: Nelson, 2008). P.147
Recognizing cognates may help ELL students spell and understand the meaning of some English words they encounter. This feature of English may also aid native speakers in Canada who study French. For example, the French word beau has a similar meaning to its English cognate beautiful.
Indigenous Languages:
Have students research the history behind Indigenous words in English. This can include place names with Indigenous roots. For example, the name Ottawa is derived from the Algonquin word adawa, meaning “to trade.”
The Government of Canada website provides information on the origin of the names of Canada’s provincial and territorial capitals: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/maps-tools-publications/maps/geographical-names-canada/origin-names-canadas-provincial-territorial-capitals.
Word Detectives:
Encourage students to become word detectives. Have them research the origins of words from various subject areas, hobbies and sports, popular food, social media, and so forth. They can then reveal their findings to classmates.
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Online Resources:
This article provides strategies for making students detectives of word origins. It also contains a video on making sense of words.
Edutopia: Making Sense of Words That Don’t https://www.edutopia.org/blog/making-sense-words-that-dont-kelli-sandman-hurley
This video and accompanying webpage provide excellent resources to help students understand how new words are created and added to our lexicon.
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/where-do-new-words-come-from-ted-ed
This YouTube video (8:05 min) The Screwed up History of English Spelling provides a useful overview with examples.
https://youtu.be/zdRY0x2x6PQ?si=ovkIxtwTAEPm7Rdz
