It's not random. French and Latin were the languages of the ruling class -monarchy and Church, while the poor used Old English. That's why the animal is 'Cow', but the meat is 'Beef'.
Also why swear words are swears. They're what the common people called things, and it was a way of denigrating the proletariat to regard it as foul language.
Funnily enough I did the same in my english Abitur finals (Abitur is the highest german school-leaving qualification that allows one to study at universities).
When I couldn't remember a translation, I pulled out some french words and anglicised them. Worked well enough for a mark of 14 (15 is top mark) and top mark in both all english final exams and all oral exams.
It's not random. French and Latin were the languages of the ruling class -monarchy and Church, while the poor used Old English. That's why the animal is 'Cow', but the meat is 'Beef'.
Also why swear words are swears. They're what the common people called things, and it was a way of denigrating the proletariat to regard it as foul language.
Shit Vs excrement
Fuck Vs copulate
Etc
As someone who avoids swearing, this really makes me want to start
You'd have to google individual etymology if you wanted an answer for that.
Most of our short abrupt words came from Vikings like Skull and most of our swear words. Not the culturally superior Saxons
Yeah, but the selection process was probably pretty random. Or did you find a pattern yet?
Food, for starters.
Some food items. And not only food or not only high class food.
Funnily enough I did the same in my english Abitur finals (Abitur is the highest german school-leaving qualification that allows one to study at universities).
When I couldn't remember a translation, I pulled out some french words and anglicised them. Worked well enough for a mark of 14 (15 is top mark) and top mark in both all english final exams and all oral exams.
Okay but as a native french speaker I did the exact same on my english high school exams. 😭