An Attempt To Date
The Influence of the Latin Language on the English Language
G.D.O'Bradovich III
September, 2012
the essay
The following citations are courtesy of Dictionary.com.
In English, the adjectives for the following words can be created by adding the suffix "like". In "Titus Andronicus", the line "Ye warlike Goths" sounds better than "Ye bellicose Goths" . While familiarity to Latin words is expected from educated speakers, the English words sound "more natural" and less forced to native English speakers.
In English, the adjectives for the following words can be created by adding the suffix "like". In "Titus Andronicus", the line "Ye warlike Goths" sounds better than "Ye bellicose Goths" . While familiarity to Latin words is expected from educated speakers, the English words sound "more natural" and less forced to native English speakers.
English Noun
body
blood king hand finger sun dog war earth house moon tooth water island mouth kitchen star cat horse cow fish bird |
Latin Adjective
corporal
sanguine regal, royal manual digital solar canine bellicose terrestrial domestic lunar dental aquatic insular oral culinary stellar feline equine bovine piscine avian |
Date Introduced
14th Century
14th Century 14th Century 1375-1425 1400-50 1400-50 15th Century 15th Century 15th Century 1515-25 1585-95 1594 1610 1611 1628 1630-40 1650-60 1681 1770-80 1776 1799 1870 |
From the limited preceding list, an attempt was made to list the most frequently used English nouns. Using this information alone, not including when Latin nouns or Latin verbs were introduced, it would seem that the Latin Language dates from the 14th Century or 1301 to 1400.
addendum
Addendum - October 2, 2012
The changing spelling of "Christ" and "Christmas" in English and the use of IHS. "IHS" is an abbreviation for Jesus and is the first three letters of Jesus in Greek characters. In English, it could be represented as either "IES" or "JES".
IHS, from Codex Bezae
Crist IHS Xpesmaessan Cristes masesse Cristes IHS IHS Crist Cristes messe Cristmass IHS Cristis Cryst Crystmasse Cristmas IHS Christe Christmas |
a600
c950 c950 a1123 a1134 c1160 a1240 a1250 a1300 1340 c1340 1377 1382 c1425 c1489 1489 1540 1557 1568 |
Jesus
Christ Jesus Christmas Christmas Christ Jesus Jesus Christ Christmas Christmas Jesus Christ Christ Christmas Christmas Jesus Christ Christmas |
The above table demonstrates that English borrowed the word Christ from the Greek language due to the use of the "XP" for Christ. It is not until the 1500's that an "h" is inserted into "Christ" due, no doubt, to the influence of the Latin spelling. Jesus was abbreviated as IHS from the Greek. This also shows the early influence of the Greek and no influence from the Latin.
The festival of the nativity of Christ, kept on the 25th of December.
a1123 OE. Chron. anno 1101,
Her on þisum geare to Xp̃es. mæssan heold se cyng Heanrig his hired on Westmynstre.
a1134 OE. Chron. anno 1127,
Ðis gear heald se kyng Heanri his hird æt Cristes mæsse on Windlesoure.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 213
Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse.
c1400 (▸?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 471
Wel by-commes such craft vpon cristmasse.
1489 in T. Stapleton Plumpton Corr. (1839) Introd. 114
The King..beganne Crysmas at Westmynster.
1490 Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) iii. 83
At crystmasse and at ester, men ought to go vysit and see his good frende.
1495 Act 2 Hen. VII c. 2 §5
Noon apprentice..[shall] pley..at the Tenys..in no wise out of Cristmas.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 54
He went to Windsore, where he..kept his Christmas.
1614 W. Camden Remaines (rev. ed.) 305
Christmas commeth but once a yeare.
1635 J. Swan Speculum Mundi v. §2. 161
They also say, that a hot Christmas makes a fat Church-yard.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 509. ⁋3
The Beadles and Officers have the Impudence at Christmas to ask for their Box.
1748 H. Walpole Lett. to H. Mann 26 Dec.,
Here am I come down to what you call Keep my Christmas.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. 189
Revelry was permitted..through the twelve days of Christmas.
in Middle English, medieval Latin, etc., also written IHS, Iħs, IHC, Iħc, representing Greek ΙΗΣ or ΙΗ, a MS. abbreviation of the word ΙΗ(ΣΟΥ)Σ or ΙΗ(ΟΥ), Jesus; also used as a symbolical or ornamental monogram of the sacred name. Medieval Latin texts have commonly ihc or ihs, ihm, ihu (with or without a stroke over or across the h (ħ), or other mark of abbreviation) for Iesus, Iesum, Iesu. In Middle English, the usual form was ihu = Jesu; less frequently ihs, ihc, or ihus. These abbreviations were in later times often erroneously expanded as Ihesus, Ihesum, Ihesu.
The Romanized form of the abbreviation would be IES, but from the entire or partial retention of the Greek form in Latin MSS. as IHC or IHS, and subsequent forgetfulness of its origin, it has often been looked upon as a Latin abbreviation or contraction, and explained by some as standing for Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus Saviour of men, by others as In Hoc Signo (vinces), in this sign (thou shalt conquer), or In Hac Salus, in this (cross) is salvation.
a600 Codex Bezæ Luke vi. 5 (Greek text)
ΕΙΠΕ ΔΕ Ο ΙΗ ΠΡΟ ΑΥΤΟΥ. (Latin text) dı xı t autemıh s ad eos.
c950 Lindisf. Gosp. (Latin text) Matt. iii. 13
Tunc uenit iħs a galilaea in iordanen.]
a1240 Wohunge in Cott. Hom. 269
Ihu, swete.
c1250 Kent. Serm. (Laud 471, lf. 128 b) ,
Cvm natus esset iħc in betleem iude.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. iii. 154
Bi iħus with here ieweles ȝowre iustices she shendeth.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. xvi. 144
Iudas iangeled þere-aȝein ac Ihūs hym tolde.
1540 in W. L. Nash Churchwardens' Acct. Bk. St. Giles, Reading (1851) 59
Paid to the Wardens of Ihc Masse towardes the prestes wages xiijs iijd.
1678 Trial of Coleman 27 L. Chief Just.,
What Inscription was upon the Seal? Mr. Oates. Ι.Η.Σ. with a Cross, in English it had the Characters of I.H.S.
1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials III. App. xlviii. 145
JHS is God with us [quoting a title of 1559, which had ‘Jesus is God with us’.]
1897 Daily News 30 Nov. 7/7
The monograms IHS and XPC, which are so often to be seen in our churches, sorely puzzle a portion of the congregation.
a1123 OE. Chron. anno 1101,
Her on þisum geare to Xp̃es. mæssan heold se cyng Heanrig his hired on Westmynstre.
a1134 OE. Chron. anno 1127,
Ðis gear heald se kyng Heanri his hird æt Cristes mæsse on Windlesoure.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 213
Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse.
c1400 (▸?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 471
Wel by-commes such craft vpon cristmasse.
1489 in T. Stapleton Plumpton Corr. (1839) Introd. 114
The King..beganne Crysmas at Westmynster.
1490 Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) iii. 83
At crystmasse and at ester, men ought to go vysit and see his good frende.
1495 Act 2 Hen. VII c. 2 §5
Noon apprentice..[shall] pley..at the Tenys..in no wise out of Cristmas.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 54
He went to Windsore, where he..kept his Christmas.
1614 W. Camden Remaines (rev. ed.) 305
Christmas commeth but once a yeare.
1635 J. Swan Speculum Mundi v. §2. 161
They also say, that a hot Christmas makes a fat Church-yard.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 509. ⁋3
The Beadles and Officers have the Impudence at Christmas to ask for their Box.
1748 H. Walpole Lett. to H. Mann 26 Dec.,
Here am I come down to what you call Keep my Christmas.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. 189
Revelry was permitted..through the twelve days of Christmas.
in Middle English, medieval Latin, etc., also written IHS, Iħs, IHC, Iħc, representing Greek ΙΗΣ or ΙΗ, a MS. abbreviation of the word ΙΗ(ΣΟΥ)Σ or ΙΗ(ΟΥ), Jesus; also used as a symbolical or ornamental monogram of the sacred name. Medieval Latin texts have commonly ihc or ihs, ihm, ihu (with or without a stroke over or across the h (ħ), or other mark of abbreviation) for Iesus, Iesum, Iesu. In Middle English, the usual form was ihu = Jesu; less frequently ihs, ihc, or ihus. These abbreviations were in later times often erroneously expanded as Ihesus, Ihesum, Ihesu.
The Romanized form of the abbreviation would be IES, but from the entire or partial retention of the Greek form in Latin MSS. as IHC or IHS, and subsequent forgetfulness of its origin, it has often been looked upon as a Latin abbreviation or contraction, and explained by some as standing for Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus Saviour of men, by others as In Hoc Signo (vinces), in this sign (thou shalt conquer), or In Hac Salus, in this (cross) is salvation.
a600 Codex Bezæ Luke vi. 5 (Greek text)
ΕΙΠΕ ΔΕ Ο ΙΗ ΠΡΟ ΑΥΤΟΥ. (Latin text) dı xı t autemıh s ad eos.
c950 Lindisf. Gosp. (Latin text) Matt. iii. 13
Tunc uenit iħs a galilaea in iordanen.]
a1240 Wohunge in Cott. Hom. 269
Ihu, swete.
c1250 Kent. Serm. (Laud 471, lf. 128 b) ,
Cvm natus esset iħc in betleem iude.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. iii. 154
Bi iħus with here ieweles ȝowre iustices she shendeth.
1377 Langland Piers Plowman B. xvi. 144
Iudas iangeled þere-aȝein ac Ihūs hym tolde.
1540 in W. L. Nash Churchwardens' Acct. Bk. St. Giles, Reading (1851) 59
Paid to the Wardens of Ihc Masse towardes the prestes wages xiijs iijd.
1678 Trial of Coleman 27 L. Chief Just.,
What Inscription was upon the Seal? Mr. Oates. Ι.Η.Σ. with a Cross, in English it had the Characters of I.H.S.
1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials III. App. xlviii. 145
JHS is God with us [quoting a title of 1559, which had ‘Jesus is God with us’.]
1897 Daily News 30 Nov. 7/7
The monograms IHS and XPC, which are so often to be seen in our churches, sorely puzzle a portion of the congregation.