Languages are always developing and changing. One such example is in the use of loan words (palabras prestadas). In fact, you may not know that a number of words you use on a regular basis are imported from another language.
Here we will look at some examples:
Words used in Spanish that come from English include:
Waterpolo, Gin-Tonic, Sandwich, and Webcam
All of these examples use the same spelling and have the same meaning in Spanish as when used in English. However, there are some words that have changed their spelling:
El Beisbol (Baseball), El Tenis (Tennis), Un Boicot (Boycott) and Clic (Click)
There are other cases where words have been borrowed from English but the meaning is different to the original:
Un Camping (Campsite), Zapping (TV Channel Surfing) and El Footing (Jogging)
English has also borrowed a number of words and phrases from other languages:
From French:
Entrepreneur, Renaissance, Ambulance and Rendezvous
From Latin:
Quid Pro Quo, Alter Ego, and Curriculum Vitae
From German:
Kitsch, Doppelganger and Zeitgeist
There are also a number of words loaned from Spanish that are regularly used in everyday English. Such examples are:
Siesta, Mosquito, Fiesta and Parasol
English really is an international language!!
