Quote:
Originally Posted by James_Wilde
Excuse me, my lady, but are you absolutely sure about that being Old French? I associate it more with the germanic languages, particularly the scandinavian ones, where it literally means travel well. To travel in Swedish and Icelandic at least is 'fara' and 'väl' in Swedish means well. Not that educated and travelled scandinavians couldn't have imported an Old French phrase of course.
Apart from this nit-picking, I think you have given Vidor an excellent explanation.
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Middle English was mostly Old French brought over by the Normans (originally land based Vikings). Old English was mostly Old High German, brought over by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (Jutes were from present day Denmark). The direct Norse contributions (via the Vikings) were in addition to the Old High German and, later, the Old French brought over by the invading Normans (similar origins but highly influenced by the Franks, another Germanic tribe).
Modern French and English are dramatically different from their original versions. Even true Early Modern English (roughly late 14th/early 15th century) is difficult for present day English speakers to understand.