5.The origin of the English words: Borrowings (Source and origin. Donor languages. Etymological doublets and hybrids

There is also certain confusion between the terms "source of borrowings" and "origin of borrowed words". The term "source of borrowings should be applied to the language from which this or that particular word was taken Into English. So when describing words as Latin, French or Scandinavian borrowing we point out their source,but not their origin. The term "origin of the word" should be applied to the language the word may be traced to. Thus the French borrowing table is Latin by origin (L. tabula), the Latin borrowing school came into Latin from the Greek language (Gr. scole - досуг).

Donor languages, etymological doublets and hybrids

Donor language terms generally enter a recipient language as a technical term (terminus technicus) in connection with exposure to foreign culture. The specific reference point may be to the foreign culture itself or to a field of activity where the foreign culture has a dominant role.

Etymological doublets.

Doublets are two words which were derived from the same basic word but by different routs. They differ in sound-form and meaning. The main source of etymological doublets in English is Latin language.

There are two reasons of the process:

1. One word was borrowed directly from Latin and the other – from French (major)

2. Words borrowed twice (discus → disc → dish, disk) (camera-chamber) (skirt-shirt)

Etymological doublets are two or more words of the same language which were derived by different routes from the same basic word, but differing in meaning and phonemic shape. For example, the word 'fact' ('факт, действительность') and 'feat' ('подвиг') are derived from the same Latin word 'facere' ('делать') but 'fact' was borrowed directly from Latin and 'feat' was borrowed through French.

In modern English there are doublets of Latin, Germanic and na¬tive origin. Many Latin doublets are due to the different routes by which they entered the English vocabulary: some of the words are di¬rect borrowings; others came into English through Parisian French or Norman French.

For example, the words 'major', 'pauper', senior' are direct bor¬rowings from Latin, while their doublets 'mayor' ('майор'), 'poor' ('бедный'), '.sir' ('сэр') came from French.

The words 'chase' ('гнаться, преследовать'), 'chieftain' ('вождь/клана'), 'guard' ('охрана/стража') were borrowed into Mid¬dle English from Parisian French, and their doublets 'catch' ('поймать'), 'captain' ('капитан'), 'ward' ('палата/больничная') came from Norman French.

The doublets 'shirt' ('рубашка') - 'skirt' ('юбка'), 'shrew' ('сварливая женщина') - 'screw' ('винт, шуруп'), 'schriek' ('вопить, кричать') - 'screech' ('пронзительно кричать') are of Germanic ori¬gin. The first word of the pair comes down from Old English whereas the second one is a Scandinavian borrowing.

Examples of native doublets are 'shadow' ('тень') and 'shade! Both are derived from the same Old English word 'sceadu'. 'Shade' is developed from the Nominative case, 'sceadu' is derived from oblique ease 'sceadwe'. The words 'drag' and 'draw' both come from Old English 'dragan' ('тащить')

Etymological doublets also arise as a result of shortening when both the shortened form and the full form of the word are used:

'defense' - 'защита' - 'fence' - ''забор';

'history' - 'история' - 'story' - 'рассказ'.

Examples of ETYMOLOGICAL TRIPLETS (i.e. groups of three words of common root) are few in number:

hospital (Lat.) - hostel (Norm.Fr.) - hotel (Par.. Fr.);

to capture (Lat.) - to catch (Norm. Fr.) - to chase (Par. Fr.).

Etymological hybrids

Hybrids are words that consist of etymologically different morphemes:

1. A native root + borrowed word-building morphemes ((to like – to dislike (Latin))

2. Borrowed root + native affix (peaceful (French))

3. Both elements are borrowed but from different languages (violinist (Italian+Greek))