7 October 2023

Available for over a year

Are almost half the words in the English language of French origin? It’s a claim one of our loyal listeners found surprising. Tim Harford talks to Dr Beth Malory, lecturer in English Linguistics at University College London, who explains why so many words derived from French have ended up in English.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Daniel Gordon

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Picture: A French dictionary showing the entry 'Dictionnaire'

Credit: NSA Digital Archive / iStock / Getty Images Plus)