Gaal, N: Latin Influence on the English Vocabulary

Latin is a dead language - but it proved very much viable: by its culture, Latin has reached something that no other languages could do: it became an essential part of many other languages. Without Latin, non-Latin related languages would be poorer both in vocabulary and grammar. Latin was the language of a higher civilization, from which the Anglo-Saxons had much to learn. Contact with that civilization, at first commercial and military, later religious and intellectual, extended over many centuries and was constantly renewed. The importance of being aware of the origin of the words hides in their usage. The Germanic words, which give the basis of today‘s English, are for popular use. Knowing Latin words supposes that a person is a well-educated one. The fact, what sort of words are used by a person gives us a clear idea which class of society s / he belongs to. This work could help those who make scientific investigations into the origin of the English language, and those who search for the Latin presence in it.