There is often more than one word for something in the English language. Man, for example, could also be referred to as masculine. A horse might also be an equine. What is the reason for this?

Question

Jeffrey Gates

English

4 May, 15:42

There is often more than one word for something in the English language. Man, for example, could also be referred to as masculine. A horse might also be an equine. What is the reason for this?

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Answers (1)

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Isis House · Answer 1

Your question is incomplete because it lacks the options, which are the following:

French was spoken by the common people in England while German was spoken by government leaders.

Simple English words generally stem from German while more elegant words stem from French.

More complex words generally stem from German while simple, straightforward words stem from Romance languages.

Latin was spoken by the leaders of England while Dutch was spoken by the common people.

Answer:

Simple English words generally stem from German while more elegant words stem from French.

Explanation:

Modern English primarily developed from the languages spoken by the Germanic tribes that occupied the British Isles. However, it has also been influenced by Romance languages like French, which derive from Latin. In fact, nowadays almost half of English words have a French origin, such a s brunette, chic, dinner and aubergine.