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Challenge: cognates, false cognates

July 23, 2018 at 2:49 pm, No comments


Many years ago, in the early ages of the world, there was a huge and tall tower in the center of Glottaland. The tower was a very important place for the languages and language elements because they had reunions and organized events and programs there. One day, a birthday party of the English language was organized there but not everyone was invited. As they had experienced a terrible event in the tower in the past, a big confusion of languages and they wanted to avoid a similar event this time. That’s why, the organization decided that only cognates of English words could enter in order that everyone could understand each other. Everybody was asked to prepare a descendant certificate that they had to present at the entrance.

A group of words arrived and wanted to enter. The security asked everyone to show their certificate.

The first word was ‘Stern’: ‘I am a German word. I share the same origin and meaning as the English star.’

The second word was ‘habere’: ‘I am a Latin word and I share the same origin and meaning as the English ‘have’.

The third word was ‘mucho’: ‘I am a Spanish word with the same meaning and etymology as the English ‘much’.

The fourth word was ‘ego’: I am a Greek word and I have the same derivation and meaning as the English ‘I’.

The fifth word was ‘papier’: I am a French word with the same meaning and etymology as the English ‘paper’.

However, two of them couldn’t enter the party because they were false cognates. Which words are these? Write your answers in the comments!


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