Borrowing
The adoption of words from other languages into English. Borrowing reflects language contact and cultural influence.
Real World
After the 1066 Norman Conquest, French-origin words like 'beef' (boeuf) and 'pork' (porc) entered English for cooked meats, while Anglo-Saxon 'cow' and 'pig' remained for the living animals — a class divide preserved in vocabulary.
Exam Focus
Link borrowing to specific historical contact events (Norman Conquest, Empire, globalisation) to show how external factors drive lexical change.
How well did you know this?