Re: Old Norse in English

--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "William Calhoun"
<kubrick36@...> wrote:

>
> Sorry if my original question was a bit ambiguous. I meant: How

much of

> common English is rooted in Old Norse. It would be a bit foolish to

search

> all scientific names which are conventionally composed of Latin or

Greek

> parts. Rather, in everyday English, the Old Norse word is often the
> preferred word in speech: we say 'die' rather than 'expire,' 'raise'

rather

> than 'elevate,' and 'narwhal' rather than 'Monodon monoceros.'

Thank you

> very much for your help. I always appreciate your input.
> -William Calhoun

I recall word counts in Jan de Vries' dictionary,
that ought to give a good idea of approximate
percentages. (though the counts may go the wrong
way, I am not sure right now)
To 'raise' from Old norse? Perhaps. But it is also
a more general Germanic word. For example OHG risan,
or Gothic ur-reisan.
Also 'finger' was mentioned. But finger is also in
all the West-Germanic dialects that I know of.
(English being one of them) Also in Gothic figgrs.
'Knife' might make a case more clear cut, since
German has 'Messer' here. But Webster's list
'knif' also as Middle Low German, and does not
mention it as being from Norse. (OE cnif)
Personally, I only know very few clear cut examples.
One seems to be 'to cast'.

My impression is that English is mostly West Germanic
with a lot of French loans.

Xigung

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