The words originating from the same etymological source, but differing in phonemic shape and in meaning are called etymological doublets .

They may enter the vocabulary by different routes. Some of these pairs consist of a native word and a borrowed word: “shrew”, n. (E.) – “screw”, n. (Sc.). Others are represented by two borrowings from dif­ferent languages : “canal” (Lat.) - “channel” (Fr.), “captain” (Lat.) — “chieftain” (Fr.). Still others were borrowed from the same language twice , but in different periods : “travel” (Norm. Fr.) - “tra­vail" (Par. Fr.), “cavalry” (Norm. Fr.) - “chivalry” (Par. Fr.), “gaol” (Norm. Fr.) - “jail” (Par. Fr.).

A doublet may also consist of a shortened word and the one from which it was derived: “history” - “story”, “fantasy” - “fancy”, “defence” - “fence”, “shadow” - “shade”.

Etymological triplets ( i. e. groups of three words of common root) occur rarer, but here are at least two ex­amples: “hospital” (Lat.) — “hostel” (Norm. Fr.) — “hotel” (Par. Fr.), “to capture” (Lat.) — “to catch” (Norm. Fr.) — “to chase” (Par. Fr.).

Translation-Loans[10]

By translation-loans we indicate borrowings of a special kind. They are not taken into the vocabulary of another language more or less in the same phonemic shape in which they have been functioning in their own lan­guage, but undergo the process of translation. It is quite obvious that it is only compound words (i. e. words of two or more stems). Each stem was translated separate­ly: “masterpiece” (from Germ. “Meisterstuck”), “wonder child” (from Germ. “Wunderkind”), ”first dancer” (from Ital. “prima-ballerina”).

Are Etymological and Stylistic Characteristics

of Words Interrelated?

The answer must be affirma­tive. Among learned words and terminology the for­eign element dominates the native.

It also seems that the whole opposition of "formal versus informal" is based on the deeper underlying opposition of "bor­rowed versus native", as the informal style, especial­ly slang and dialect, abounds in native words even though it is possible to quote numerous exceptions.

In point of comparing the expressive and stylistic value of the French and the English words the French ones are usually more formal, more refined, and less emotional. “to begin” – “to commence”, “to wish” — “to desire”, “hap­piness" — “felicity”.

English words are much warmer than their Latin synonyms, they don’t sound cold and dry: “motherly” — “maternal”, “fatherly” — “paternal”, “childish” — “infan­tile", “daughterly” — “filial”, etc.

1. Г.Б.Антрушина, О.В.Афанасьева. Лексикология английского языка. - М. Изд. Дрофа. 1999

2. F.R.Palmer. Semantics. A new outline. - M. V.Sh. 1982

[1] Roman invasion in Britain began in 43 A.D. Romans had held on the country for 400 years (till 407 A.D.).

[2] By a borrowing or loan-word we mean a word which came into the vocabulary of one language from another and was assimilated by the new language.

[3] Sc. “hus+bondi” means "inhabitant of the house".

[4] Sc. “vindauga” means "the eye of the wind".

[5] By the native element we mean words which were not borrowed from other languages but represent the original stock of this particular language.

[6] By etymology of words is understood their origin.

[7] “Autumn” is a French borrowing.

[8] Cognates - words of the same etymological root, of com­mon origin.

[9] By remnant suffixes are meant the ones that are only partially preserved in the structure of the word: Lat. (-ctus) >Lat. (-ct).

[10] The term “loan-word” is equivalent to “borrowing”.