Today, modern English speakers - regardless of social class - have come to use both. So, they used the French word to describe the prepared dishes. But the upper-class French saw these animals only at mealtimes. On several websites, word experts claim that this change shows a class difference between the Anglo-Saxons and the French in Britain at the time of the conquest.īecause the lower-class Anglo-Saxons were the hunters, they used the Old English names for animals. But when they were cooked and brought to the table, an English version of the French word was used: pork (porc), beef (beouf), mutton (mouton) and veal (veau). When animals were in the stable or on the farm, they kept their Old English names: pig, cow, sheep and calf. Many of those French words related to the battlefield, such as “army” and “ royal.” Many related to government and taxation.
That is when many French words became part of the English language. The answer is the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066.
And deer is venison.īut why do we call these animals different names when we prepare them for a meal? Why is it “pig” on the farm but "pork" in a sandwich? In English, these two categories often have different names.
Today we talk about animals-and animals we eat. We also talk about how we use them in everyday conversations. On this program we often talk about the origins of words and expressions that we use in American English. Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
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