Saturday, February 28, 2026
The history of a language is inextricably linked to each word that we utter on a daily basis and is something that we are often unaware of. As teachers, we transmit the knowledge we have of the language to our students on a daily basis, but we rarely consider why the language is like this or where it has come from. There are many features of the English language that might confuse us or seem so irregular that there is no explanation. However, it is the history of the language that has led to the modern English we use today and let’s not forget that it is something that is constantly evolving and changing as those who use it have an influence on its development.
There are many seemingly irregular features of the English language that we have to teach, and students have to learn. But have you ever stopped to think about why these irregularities exist? Etymology is the answer. If we look at the history of English and the fact that it comes from multiple language roots, you will learn that these features may originate in different languages (German or French, for example). Over the years, English has taken features from all of the other languages it has had contact with, which has led us to the point we are at today and the different language features that together make English. Knowing more about the origins of these features can help us make sense of the language and allow us to see how the language was shaped over the course of many years.
English is one of only languages that makes use of a thesaurus to compile a list of key synonyms and antonyms. This is because it has a much larger number of vocabulary items than many other languages, and this is due to the fact that these synonyms come from different language roots. English is littered with synonyms that come from two language roots, such as ‘help’ and ‘aid’ in which one is Germani in origin and the other Latin. The difficulty here is that these synonyms are sometimes used in different contexts and the teacher needs to know what these contexts are in order to help students use them correctly. In most cases, Germanic origin words are often used more informally, whereas Latin based words are used in more formal settings.
The morphology of English is what we look at when we want to consider what a word consists of and how it changes depending on its function within a sentence. Each language origin has contributed its own morphology to the English language and this is something that it’s worthwhile being aware of. Suffixes are a great example of this, for example suffixes such as -tion and -ity have their roots in French, whereas -dom or -ship are Germain in origin. Knowing this can help students understand why a certain suffix is used with a certain word and how the two origins are connected.
Some people might tell you that the spelling and pronunciation of English is so irregular that it’s impossible to teach. The reason that it might seem irregular is that there are so many patterns within English that relate to the origin of the language itself. If you look at the word ‘school’ as an example, the combination of the letters ‘sch’ is linked to German, whereas words like ‘unique’ have a ‘que’ pattern which comes from French. These patterns influence spelling and pronunciation in English, and it’s essential for teachers to consider this when they are working on both elements in their lessons with students.
English has a rich history and one which has been marked by the languages it has come into contact with. Very few languages in the world have lived in isolation over the years, and as a result, there are features which are common to many. Globalisation has brought about an increase in language learning and connection between people who speak different languages. Knowing more about the history of a language, specifically English, can allow us to draw comparisons between languages that students already know and make meaningful connections that help them understand features of each language better.
Along the same lines as the previous point, false friends (or false cognates) are something which can cause students difficulties when learning a new language. Teachers need to be aware of the possible false friends that occur in English that may cause students to make mistakes, so they can prevent them before they happen. This means being aware of words which look similar in the two languages, but might have different meanings or contexts in which they are used. Similarly, it’s a good idea to understand true friends so that students know when they can directly translate from one language to another.
As with everything you learn, the more you know the better you understand it. Knowing more about what has made English into the language it is today not only helps with the language itself, but it also gives us a deeper appreciation of what we are learning. And with more appreciation comes more motivation to learn and to continue to develop your knowledge.
If you are someone who enjoys languages, then etymology is something that can only make language learning more enjoyable. Making connections between languages and learning about the history of the language is enriching, useful and interesting in equal measure. And you never know, perhaps our students will turn into keen linguists or even teachers one day because of the information we have given them in class.
As you can see, there are many reasons as to why we should think more about etymology in class and how it can help both teachers and students to understand the language better. A little research can go a long way, and if you are ever in doubt about where a word comes from, there is so much you can learn from looking it up! We highly recommend https://www.etymonline.com/ for this. If you’d like to find out more about the key details that feature in the etymology of the English language, and how you can work more on etymology in class, then check out another of the blog posts we have written on the topic https://london-school-online.com/en/article/etymology-where-do-words-come-from. Don’t forget to watch the webinar on the topic of etymology, which is now in our webinar library https://london-school-online.com/en/webinar.
