Heyyy do you know any Latin words? from Isabel

Heyyy

Do you know any latin words?

from Isabel

Dear Isabel,

Yes I do know some Latin words - and some of them are English!

Latin is the language the ancient Romans spoke. If you want to learn it today, you have to learn it from books, at school or university.

There are lots of Latin words in English - like PLUS or HORROR or TRIVIA. Here is a good list of some of them http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/3277/ There are even more English words that are based on Latin - like MOVE or FLEXIBLE or CREATIVE. You can find lots and lots here http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/List_of_Latin_words_with_English_derivatives

English has so much Latin in it for a few reasons. One is the Romans ruled Britain for a while, after Julius Caesar conquered it in 54 B.C., and so a lot of things were written in Latin as well as people speaking it. And even long after all the Romans were dead, Latin was used for centuries in schools and universities, and so lots of Latinish words entered the English language that way. And don't forget France conquered Britain as well, (back in 1066 AD) so French was the official language in Britain for a few hundred years. French is full of Latin words - it's got so much Roman in it it's actually called a ROMANce language! Anyway, more Latin-based words came to English through French.

Phew! After all that, anyway, I have to say I love Latin! I recommend it to anyone.

tua amica (your friend, in Latin) The Word Spy