English Reaches One Million Words...
Feb 27th, 2008, 11:59 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
English Reaches One Million Words...
putting it far ahead of languages like French which are said to have about 100,000 distinct words.
The English growth has leapt in recent years due to internet terms, high tech terms, etc.
Well this is what at least one august dictionary company or whatever recently said i read
Thus is English getting harder for locals to use and comprehend and will this cause problems communicating in Europe?
The English growth has leapt in recent years due to internet terms, high tech terms, etc.
Well this is what at least one august dictionary company or whatever recently said i read
Thus is English getting harder for locals to use and comprehend and will this cause problems communicating in Europe?
Feb 27th, 2008, 12:09 PM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The average English speaking person only has about 2,000 words in their vocabulary. For a person with a university degree this range in vocabulary would rise to about 3000 to 4000. These are about the same as for speakers of French.
FWIW, William Shakespeare, based upon his writings, is believed to have possessd a vocabulary of around 21,000 words. An overwhelming weapons arsenal with which to engage in verbal dueling.
FWIW, William Shakespeare, based upon his writings, is believed to have possessd a vocabulary of around 21,000 words. An overwhelming weapons arsenal with which to engage in verbal dueling.
Feb 29th, 2008, 04:03 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The fact that English is growing in vocabulary so extraordinarily and French and other langues are fairly stagnant only shows what is a blessing for the tourist - the dominance of English as the world's common language
Thank God
Thank God
Feb 29th, 2008, 04:17 AM
#7
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'd challenge the assumption here.
Internet and hi tech words get used in French and German too. Next time you get a new medical problem, find out what it's called in French or German, then google it, specifying results in German or French only. Words like hypoprothrombinemia find their way into French and German texts - and probably Chinese and Russian ones too.
What's far more likely is that French and German dictionaries aren't picking up new words as obsessively as the OED and its competitors because - with a far smaller customer base - they have neither the resources to monitor new use, nor the revenue that's available from having perpetually updated dictionaries.
Internet and hi tech words get used in French and German too. Next time you get a new medical problem, find out what it's called in French or German, then google it, specifying results in German or French only. Words like hypoprothrombinemia find their way into French and German texts - and probably Chinese and Russian ones too.
What's far more likely is that French and German dictionaries aren't picking up new words as obsessively as the OED and its competitors because - with a far smaller customer base - they have neither the resources to monitor new use, nor the revenue that's available from having perpetually updated dictionaries.
Trending Topics
Feb 29th, 2008, 04:33 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi D,
>I wonder how many people have started using nouns as verbs,
This is not a new phenom(enon).
In the 1680's Mr Pepys wrote in his diary, "The King went sliding on his skates" (on the frozen Thames).
Today, we would say, "The King went skating".
>I wonder how many people have started using nouns as verbs,
This is not a new phenom(enon).
In the 1680's Mr Pepys wrote in his diary, "The King went sliding on his skates" (on the frozen Thames).
Today, we would say, "The King went skating".
Feb 29th, 2008, 04:49 AM
#10
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...twords?view=uk
While most of the English IT or tech vocabulary becomes part of the German vocabulary untranslated (i.e. blog, chatroom, cursor, etc), mostly medical vocabulary is derived from Greek or Latin. So, I would say that neither hypothermia nor Hypothermie is English, French, or German.
I read somewhere in some magazine from some important organization that - according to recent scientific studies - to follow a typical Fodor's forum discussion, one only has to master a rather limited vocabulary of appr. 100 words of English which includes: "shoes/ wear", "foodie", "Euro/ expensive", "(to) train", "adaptor", and the meaning of the abbreviations AC, CT, MSM, CDG, and BO ;-)
While most of the English IT or tech vocabulary becomes part of the German vocabulary untranslated (i.e. blog, chatroom, cursor, etc), mostly medical vocabulary is derived from Greek or Latin. So, I would say that neither hypothermia nor Hypothermie is English, French, or German.
I read somewhere in some magazine from some important organization that - according to recent scientific studies - to follow a typical Fodor's forum discussion, one only has to master a rather limited vocabulary of appr. 100 words of English which includes: "shoes/ wear", "foodie", "Euro/ expensive", "(to) train", "adaptor", and the meaning of the abbreviations AC, CT, MSM, CDG, and BO ;-)
Feb 29th, 2008, 04:55 AM
#11
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"So, I would say that neither hypothermia nor Hypothermie is English, French, or German."
Good point. But the OED DOES regard 'hypothermia' as an English word, so when it got coined it became English word no 900,001 or whatever. The Academie Francaise probably gets round to discussing whether it's worthy to be counted as French some time in 2035.
Good point. But the OED DOES regard 'hypothermia' as an English word, so when it got coined it became English word no 900,001 or whatever. The Academie Francaise probably gets round to discussing whether it's worthy to be counted as French some time in 2035.
Feb 29th, 2008, 05:06 AM
#12
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LOL.. good point!
I did not mean that hypothermia should not be listed (and counted) as an English word.
But the plethora of words derived from Latin/Greek makes it actually a bit easier for a foreign student to learn English - while the abundance of verbs which describe more or less the same action (but in detailed variation, respectively) makes it harder.
From my personal experience, I would say that English is a language which will let you get started quite easily. But it is almost impossible to reach a level of perfection, in my opinion.
I did not mean that hypothermia should not be listed (and counted) as an English word.
But the plethora of words derived from Latin/Greek makes it actually a bit easier for a foreign student to learn English - while the abundance of verbs which describe more or less the same action (but in detailed variation, respectively) makes it harder.
From my personal experience, I would say that English is a language which will let you get started quite easily. But it is almost impossible to reach a level of perfection, in my opinion.
Feb 29th, 2008, 05:54 AM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The French?
They spend years getting round to renaming new English words, out of spite as far as I can work out.
Quite recently the Academy Francaise decided that "email" which everyone uses, was Anglo-Saxon, and the correct French term is "Courriel", which no-one uses at all.
They spend years getting round to renaming new English words, out of spite as far as I can work out.
Quite recently the Academy Francaise decided that "email" which everyone uses, was Anglo-Saxon, and the correct French term is "Courriel", which no-one uses at all.
Feb 29th, 2008, 06:19 AM
#15
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes but fewer than 10 can be said to be true English words - the rest are from other languages.
English users tend to adopt foreign words and give them a more restricted meaning. Eg the French maison means house, but also means home.
In English we could say home, house, flat, apartment, bungalow, cottage, dwelling etc.
But if a French person tells you he lives in a house on the third floor you will probably know what he means.
It probably makes it easier for locals - they can just say their local word with an English accent and it will be understood.
English users tend to adopt foreign words and give them a more restricted meaning. Eg the French maison means house, but also means home.
In English we could say home, house, flat, apartment, bungalow, cottage, dwelling etc.
But if a French person tells you he lives in a house on the third floor you will probably know what he means.
It probably makes it easier for locals - they can just say their local word with an English accent and it will be understood.
Feb 29th, 2008, 07:42 AM
#17
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
quokka, English and German being related, German makes new verbs by attaching a preposition. In English, the preposition follows. E.g., run into, run out, run over, run through, run for, run to, etc. So whereas in German those might be considered separate words, they're not in English.
I remember hearing that an article or book translated into French, for example, has many more words. English has many word choices with fine shadings of meaning. In French to convey the same meaning, adverbs and adjectives have to be added.
I remember hearing that an article or book translated into French, for example, has many more words. English has many word choices with fine shadings of meaning. In French to convey the same meaning, adverbs and adjectives have to be added.
Feb 29th, 2008, 08:10 AM
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hyphenated words were not counted it said
for example the written words for 1 thru one million - three-hundred-forty-three would not count as a separate word or you would have one million words just there
for example the written words for 1 thru one million - three-hundred-forty-three would not count as a separate word or you would have one million words just there
Feb 29th, 2008, 08:17 AM
#19
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,505
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"In English we could say home, house, flat, apartment, bungalow, cottage, dwelling etc."
We say : maison, villa, appartement, manoir, château, pavillon, chalet, bastide, mas, pied-à-terre,maisonette, hôtel particulier, chaumière, fermette, gentilhommière, demeure, studio, bonbonnière, résidence, logement, immeuble, etc..........
"But if a French person tells you he lives in a house on the third floor you will probably know what he means".
The problem is : he won't !
Je rentre à la maison = I am going home = je rentre chez moi regardless of the type of building his "home" is. Or even better : je rentre.
We say : maison, villa, appartement, manoir, château, pavillon, chalet, bastide, mas, pied-à-terre,maisonette, hôtel particulier, chaumière, fermette, gentilhommière, demeure, studio, bonbonnière, résidence, logement, immeuble, etc..........
"But if a French person tells you he lives in a house on the third floor you will probably know what he means".
The problem is : he won't !
Je rentre à la maison = I am going home = je rentre chez moi regardless of the type of building his "home" is. Or even better : je rentre.
Feb 29th, 2008, 08:53 AM
#20
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One thing I have remarked about the French is that they have gaps in their own vocabulary describing everyday things. Examples include.
Hinges
Cup handle
Bollard
Ball bearing
key (as on keyboard)
Hinges
Cup handle
Bollard
Ball bearing
key (as on keyboard)
