Interesting stuff

Did you know that many English words are similar to French words?

There are two main reasons for this, the first is Julius Caesar and the Romans. Way back in the 'Olden days' (when Madame Hurd was a little girl,) the Romans conquered France and Britain (all except for the bit where Asterix and Obelix lived, of course.) Everyone had to learn Latin ... the Romans' language... and some words we use today, (1600 years later,) in both French and English are based on the same Latin words. That's why some French and English words look and sound a lot alike!

Trying thinking of some words that are similar in English and French.

The second main reason for the similar words is William the Conqueror. Way back in 1066 William, Duke of Normandy invaded England, (if you don't already know that story ask your history teacher.) William and his men all spoke French and the poor old English people, who'd just managed to forget most of their Latin, had to start all over again and learn French. If an Englishman couldn't speak French in those days he couldn't get any of the top jobs.

Over many years the Normans started marrying English girls and learning to speak the language of the people. Pretty soon no-one was sure who was English and who was Norman but some French words got stuck in with English and that's another reason some words are similar.