2013年6月30日 星期日

英語外來詞

當一個國家與外國有所接觸和交流,其語言也會吸收由外地引進的詞語,語言學上稱這些詞語為 loanwords(外來詞、借詞)。英語中的外來詞非常多,在維基百科找到一項統計顯示英語詞彙裡有 29% 是來自拉丁語,29% 是法語,26% 是日耳曼語系(如德語、荷蘭語、斯堪的納維亞語〔即北歐語言〕等),6% 是希臘語,其餘是世界各地的語言,真正源自盎格魯‧撒克遜(Anglo-Saxon,即英國人的祖先)可能僅有 5%,當中大部分都是所謂 functional words(如 auxiliary verbsprepositionsconjunctions 等),由此可見,英語並非真的那麼 “Eng”lish,事實上是由多國語言所組成的。觀看英語借來的詞語,可窺探出所借國家的語言有一定的特色,以下挑選幾種常見語言為例:

法語 特別多政治、法律、宗教、烹飪和高級文化的詞語:
nationalism(民族主義)/ liberalism(自由主義)/ government(政府)/ parliament(議會)/ minister(部長)/ bourgeoisie(中產階級)/ entrepreneur(企業家)/ elite(精英)/ court(法庭)/ judge(法官)/ jury(陪審團)/ religion(宗教)/ saint(聖人)/ restaurant(餐館)/ cuisine(烹飪)/ pork(豬肉)/ mutton(羊肉)/ foie gras(鵝肝)/ champagne(香檳)/ chef(廚師)/ café(咖啡館)/ hotel(酒店)/ photography(攝影)/ ballet(芭蕾舞)/ salon(髮廊)/ souvenir(紀念品)

意大利語 特別多音樂、樂器、食物、藝術的詞語:
solo(獨唱;獨奏)/ opera(歌劇)/ tempo(拍子)/ a cappella(無樂器伴奏)/ piano(鋼琴)/ cello(大提琴)/ viola(中提琴)/ violin(小提琴)/ pizza(比薩餅)/ spaghetti(意大利粉)/ pasta(意大利麵)/ macaroni(通心粉)/ broccoli(西蘭花)/ espresso(蒸餾咖啡)/ cappuccino(卡布奇諾咖啡)/ latte(鮮奶咖啡)/ graffiti(塗鴉)/ fresco(壁畫)

西班牙語 特別多南美景物、航運、動物、食物的詞語:
cargo(貨物)/ embargo(禁運)/ armada(艦隊)/ guerilla(游擊隊)/ canyon(峽谷)/ tornado(龍捲風)/ tobacco(煙草)/ marijuana(大麻)/ mosquito(蚊)/ puma(美洲獅)/ llama(美洲駝)/ banana(香蕉)/ tomato(番茄)/ potato(馬鈴薯)/ chilli(辣椒)/ papaya(木瓜)/ vanilla(香草精;雲呢拿)/ barbecue(燒烤)

希臘語 特別多哲學、科學、藝術、文化的詞語:
alphabet(字母表)/ academy(專科院校;研究院)/ idea(主意)/ analysis(分析)/ criteria(準則)/ criticism(批評)/ thesis(論文)/ metaphor(隱喻)/ phenomenon(現象)/ democracy(民主)/ strategy(策略)/ utopia(烏托邦)/ gene(基因)/ diagnosis(診斷)/ biology(生物學)/ mathematics(數學)/ automation(自動化)/ cinema(電影院)/ drama(戲劇)/ comedy(喜劇)/ tragedy(悲劇)

其他語言一般與該國文化有關

德語kindergarten(幼稚園)/ blitzkrieg(閃擊戰)/ quartz(石英)/ Fahrenheit(華氏溫度)/ hamburger(漢堡包)/ frankfurter(法蘭克福熏腸)/ lager(拉格啤酒)/ schnapps(烈酒)/ noodle(麵)/ delicatessen(熟食店)/ rucksack(背包;背囊)/ hamster(倉鼠)

荷蘭語bamboo(竹)/ dam(水壩)/ deck(甲板)/ dock(碼頭)/ pump(泵)/ brandy(白蘭地酒)/ blink(眨眼)/ boss(老闆)/ sketch(素描)/ landscape(風景)/ luck(運氣)/ sledge (sleigh)(雪橇)/ Santa Claus(聖誕老人)

阿拉伯語alcohol(酒精;酒)/ algebra(代數)/ giraffe(長頸鹿)/ coffee(咖啡)/ soda(蘇打水;汽水)/ sugar(糖)/ aubergine(茄子)/ orange(橙)/ lemon(檸檬)/ cotton(棉花)/ sofa(沙發)/ alchemy(煉金術)/ chemistry(化學)/ alkali(鹼性)/ carat(鑽石重量單拉)/ amber(琥珀)/ elixir(靈丹妙藥)

日語karaoke(卡拉 OK/ judo(柔道)/ karate(空手道)/ kendo(劍道)/ sumo(相撲) / sushi(壽司)/ sashimi(生魚片;刺身)/ miso(味增)/ sake(日本清酒;日式米酒)/ udon(烏龍麵;烏冬)/ wasabi(山葵;日式芥辣)/ kimono(和服)/ samurai(武士)/ tsunami(海嘯)/ bonsai(盆栽)/ kabuki(歌舞伎)/ manga(連環漫畫)/ Shinto(神道教)

漢語pak choi (bok choy)(白菜)/ dim sum(點心)/ ketchup(茄汁)/ lychee(荔枝)/ longan(龍眼)/ kumquat(柑橘)/ wonton(餛飩;雲吞)/ ginseng(人參)/ chop suey(炒雜碎;雜燴)/ chow mein(炒麵)cheongsam(長衫;旗袍)feng shui(風水)/ kung fu(功夫)/ t’ai chi ch’uan(太極拳)/ Taoism(道教)/ Yin Yang(陰陽)/ mahjong(麻將)/ pinyin(拼音)/ kowtow(叩頭)/ long time no see(好久不見)

2 則留言:

  1. I am really surprised that most of these words are really common and they are being used every day. Even words like "pork" and "hotel" are loanwords, that is really amazing.

    For the word "ketchup", I didn't learn about that word until I got to the US. In HK, we mostly say it in Cantonese and called it "茄汁". When I think of 茄汁, it definitely seems like a sauce from the west. But who knew the origin of the sauce is China? I found it weird to know that American uses the word "ketchup" at the beginning, but I am of couse used to it now.

    Thanks for sharing! This is eye-opening!

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  2. Thanks so much, Lok! But one thing to bear in mind, most of the loanwords taken from European languages may not have the same spelling as the original languages, at least almost all letters with accent marks were erased, because they could be 'anglicized' to allow easier pronunciation and memory for native English speakers. That's why it's hard for us to think of their origins simply by looking at how they are spelled.

    For those taken from Asian languages, they were probably translated according to their sounds (transliteration) and so they are pronounced as close to as how the original ones do.

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