Loan Word Examples in American English (#1)
Loan Word Examples in American English (#1)
Native American, Dutch, and Spanish
Native American (Indian) InfluenceTrees, Plants, Fruits
· hickory (neutral)
· pecan (Southern regional)
· squash (tök > marrow BrE)
Foods
· hominy (Southern regional)
· pemmican
· succotash (neutral)
Animals (all neutral)
· moose
· raccoon
· terrapin
· woodchuck
Political
· caucus
· Tammany (New York City ...)
Native American Culture
· potlatch
· powwow
· totem
· squaw, papoose
· moccasin
· hogan, igloo, teepee, wigwam
Dutch Influence
Foods
· cole slaw, pot cheese
· cookie, waffle
Social Classification
· boss (cf Black English, or Southern)
· patroon (cf 'quadroon', 'octoroon')
· Yankee ('Jan Kees', trad. Dutch fool) / Spanish Influence
Plants and Animals
· marijuana
· yucca
· armadillo
· bronco
· cockroach (cucaracha)
· coyote
· vinegarroon
Food and Drink
· chile con carne
· enchilada, taco, tamale
· jerky (jerked meat)
Toponymics
· arroyo, canyon
· mesa, sierra
· key
Race & Nationality
· coon
· creole
· dago (Diego)
· mulatto
· octoroon, quadroom
· pickaninny
Buildings
· adobe, pueblo
· cafeteria
· patio, plaza
Miscellaneous
· fiesta
· filibuster
· hoosegow (juzgar = to judge > jail)
· ranch
· rumba
· stevedore (dokkmunkás)
· tornado
Loan Word Examples in American English (#2)
French and German
French InfluenceFoods
· chowder
· jambalaya
· (pie) a la mode
Toponymics
· bayou
· butte
· levee
· prairie
· rapids
Exploration & Travel
· bateau, toboggan
· cache, portage
Other
· apache (Indian)
· Cajun, Canuck
· lacrosse (Indian)
· lagniappe, picayune (New Orleans)
· sashay (frontier, folk-dance) / German Influence
Foods
· delicatessen
· frankfurter, hamburger
· noodle, pretzel
· pumpernickel
· sauerkraut
· stollen
Educational
· festschrift
· semester
· seminar
· kindergarten
Miscellaneous
· Christmas tree
· cookbook
· fresh (impudent)
· hex (both noun and verb)
· nix, phooey
· pinochle
· turnverein
· Turner(s), Turner Hall
hom·i·ny (hĽm“…-n¶) n. Hulled and dried kernels of corn, prepared as food by boiling.
pa·troon (p…-tr›n“) n. A landholder in New Netherland who, under Dutch colonial rule, was granted proprietary and manorial rights to a large tract of land in exchange for bringing 50 new settlers to the colony.
la·gniappe (l˛n-y˛p“, l˛n“y˛p”) n. Chiefly Southern Louisiana. 1. A small gift presented by a storeowner to a customer with the customer's purchase. 2. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. Also called Regional: boot2.
pot·latch (pĽt“l˛ch”) n. A ceremonial feast among certain Native American peoples of the northwest Pacific coast, as in celebration of a marriage or an accession, at which the host distributes gifts according to each guest's rank or status. Between rival groups the potlatch could involve extravagant or competitive giving and destruction by the host of valued items as a display of superior wealth.