English Words of Anglo-Saxon Origin

ENGLISH WORDS OF ANGLO-SAXON ORIGIN

Some of the bothersome words, almost impossible to remember, that we annoy you with in class. Words from Anglo-Saxon provide the structure of the language, and the most common words, the ones most resistant to change.

This is just a sampling. If you study English and don’t recognize the word, it’s probably from Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse.

In the beginning, before they were Christianized, the Saxons were probably much worse than the Vikings, who raided, while it's possible that the Saxons committed full or partial genocide. Note the word for knife.

And and, ond

An án

Always ealne weg

Any Eanig

Ask ácsian

Before beforan

Busy bysig

Can cann

Child cild

Daughter dóhter

Door duru

Drink drincan

Else elles

Even efen

Feel félan

Fish fisc

Get getan

Go gán

Great great

Help helpan

He hé

It hit

Know cnawan

Knife Seax

Love lufian

Little lytel

Me mé, mec

Mine mín