The Influence of French on the English Language
4th September 2022
The English language has been influenced by many languages over the centuries. Most of us know that the two most influential were the Latin and German languages.
What many people don’t realise is how much the French language has influenced English. French has influenced English not only in its vocabulary but also in its grammar, pronunciation and writing.
Around 80,000 English words are of French origin. Words like “prince,” “army,” “parole,” “telephone,” “joyful,” and “beef” all come from the French language.
Let’s take a step back down memory lane and look at how it all started. In 1066, at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror and the Norman-French army defeated England’s Saxon army. King Harold was killed and William the Conqueror became the King of England. William instated the Norman language (French) as the language of the courts, administration, and literature—and stayed there for 300 years. At that time, English had already selected nearly 10,000 new words from both French and Latin, about three-quarters of which are still in use today.
Mixing the languages was the most common in the lower classes. Legend says that kitchen staff tasked with slaughtering livestock adopted many food-related Norman words.
Some examples include:
- beef (French: bœuf)
- pork (French: porc)
- venison (French: venaison)
Other examples of French-derived English words are:
| English | French |
| Money | Monnaie |
| Commerce | Commerce |
| Passport | Passeport |
| Portrait | Portrait |
| Parachute | Parachute |
| Salad | Salade |
| Mayonnaise | Mayonnaise |
| Cream | Crème |
| Bar | Barre |
Nowadays, the French vocabulary can be found in military, legal, technological, law, literature and political fields. It is said that around one-third of all English words are derived directly or indirectly from French. It is estimated that English speakers who have never studied French already know 15,000 French words! To top this up, there are 1,700 true cognates – words that are identical in the two languages.
But it doesn’t all stop with vocabulary. English pronunciation and grammar owe a lot to French as well. Some vocal sounds that French has contributed to English include the “g” sound in “mirage,” the “v” in “vacation,” and the “z” in “zigzag.”
Next time you wish someone bon voyage and ask them to bring you a souvenir, head to the bar for après-ski, fall in love with a brunette, book an en suite room or ask for RSVP you know where these words came from.
