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Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

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More or Less: Are half the words in English from French?

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French Dictionary - Dictionnaire

07/10/2023 GMT

Are half the words in English from French?

BBC World Service - More or Less, Are half the words in English from French?

We ask whether almost half the words in the English language are of French origin.

Are almost half the words in the English language of French origin? It’s a claim one of our loyal listeners found surprising. Tim Harford talks to Dr Beth Malory, lecturer in English Linguistics at University College London, who explains why so many words derived from French have ended up in English.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Daniel Gordon
Series Producer: Jon Bithrey
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Picture: A French dictionary showing the entry 'Dictionnaire'
Credit: NSA Digital Archive / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

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