Jazz Up Your Lesson

Have you ever thought how many foreign words there are in the English Language? Here is a challenge for your students!

ACTIVITY: “INTERESTING ORIGINS”

How to play:

Divide your students into groups according to the number of countries. Distribute the countries between them. Put the list of borrowed words on the blackboard or distribute the printed out copies. Then let them think what words have come from their country. The students make a list of those borrowed words. After they finish, check the lists all together.

COUNTRIES:

1. Russia
2. Finland
3. Greece
4. Italy
5. Germany
6. Norway
7. France
8. Spain
9. Portugal
10. Sweden
11. Japan
12. The Arab Emirates
13. Turkey
14. Iran

WORDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WITH INTERESTING ORIGINS:

balalaika elite embargo cosmonaut karate sauna palaver sputnik synonym cobra judo bonsai piano confetti theory algebra kayak confetti spaghetti yashmak drama hippopotamus shawl kiosk blitz bonanza fiasco sherbet bandit creche tungsten easel hamburger bidet

gateau poodle waltz tycoon cipher marmalade slalom tattoo yacht steppe futon carafe boutique cuisine pseudonym harem igloo tundra anorak caftan rottweiler coup jackal dachshund seminar duvet embargo bosh vendetta guerrilla lemming easel dodo mosquito frankfurter

chauffeur dogma macho mattress origami ski fjord cruise ombudsman ballerina alcove kindergarten delicatessen psychology aubergine tulip bistro mammoth mufti caravan lasso yoghurt taffeta ghetto siesta tsar bazaar casino perestroika patio floe junta soprano snorkel

Key:

1. Russia – sputnik, cosmonaut, perestroika, steppe, tundra, balalaika, mammoth (9 words).
2. Finland – sauna, kayak, igloo, anorak (4 word).
3. Greece – dogma, drama, psychology, hippopotamus, theory, pseudonym, synonym (7 words).
4. Italy – ghetto, piano, soprano, ballerina, confetti, fiasco, spaghetti, bandit, casino, vendetta (10 words).
5. Germany – kindergarten, dachshund, rottweiler, hamburger, frankfurter, delicatessen, blitz, waltz, poodle, snorkel, seminar (11 words).
6. Norway – fjord, floe, ski, slalom, lemming (5 words).
7. France – bistro, cuisine, gateau, chauffeur, boutique, creche, duvet, coup, elite, aubergine, bidet (10 words).
8. Spain – embargo, junta, siesta, guerrilla, macho, mosquito, bonanza, lasso, patio (9 words).
9. Portugal – marmalade, palaver, dodo, cobra (4 words).
10. Sweden – ombudsman, tungsten (2 words).
11. Japan – tycoon, karate, origami, judo, futon, bonsai (6 words).
12. The Arab Emirates – mattress, cipher, alcove, carafe, algebra, harem, mufti, yashmak (8 words).
13. Turkey – yoghurt, jackal, bosh, kiosk, tulip, kaftan (6 words).
14. Iran – caravan, shawl, taffeta, bazaar, sherbet.

to be continued