Question

Look up the etymology of the word chant. The root word chanter comes from _____.

1. English
2. Greek
3. French
4. Portuguese

Answer 1

The root word 'chanter', which leads to the English word 'chant', originates from the French language, despite many English words with 'ch' coming from Greek.

Step-by-step explanation:

The root word chanter comes from French.

Greek origins have contributed many words to the English language, particularly where the spelling represents the [k] sound, as exemplified in words like chorus, school, and Christmas. These borrowings stem from ancient Greek where the letter chi (χ) represented this sound, which was subsequently adapted into the Latin script that English later adopted, transforming Greek chi into in many loanwords.

However, the word chant, with its etymological root in chanter, diverges from this pattern as it derives directly from French, reflecting the language's significant influence on English vocabulary following the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.