How the Words of Modern English Emerged

By: John McWhorter
Narrated by: John McWhorter
Length: 31 mins
Categories: History, European
4.5 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

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Publisher's Summary

Starting with Celtic contributions to English vocabulary, explore the borrowings from Old Norse, French, and Latin. These have enriched English with a wealth of synonyms, allowing speakers to choose between alternatives such as the Anglo-Saxon hide versus the Latinate conceal.
©2012 The Great Courses (P)2012 The Great Courses

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Words we use every day

Though not Prof. McWhorter's best course, he presents the topic of word origins far more interestingly than others in the Great Courses. He has a contagious love of language and words that quickly grabs your interest and revs up your enthusiasm on the topic.

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Meh

Some interesting tidbits, but it’s more like someone riffing on Language instead of an actual course. You’ll get some interesting information, but only sporadically.