ESL Blogs

Hey, that sounds a bit odd ... English is not only English. What does that mean?

When I learnt English at school, I also learnt Latin, some French, and Latin and Greek roots. Learning Latin and Greek roots was the most useful addition to English because English isn't a pure language.

You see, English is a combination of numerous other languages, even some Arabic. By having an understanding of Latin and Greek roots, it is easier to work out what English words are similar and from where they evolved as part of the language.

For example, the word Police derives from the Greek "polis" or "poleis" which described a group of people in a region bound by local rules etc. Police enforce those rules.

There are dozens of other words eg, democracy, century, tactile, that are derived from other languages that preceded modern English.

Here's a challenge for you. See how many words you can find that are derived from other languages. Also look in a dictionary and see what foreign words eg, Latin is still used in English. Hint: words like ad hoc.