Nobodies asked this yet so here goes:
What are the Oldest known words in the English Language are spelt the same as the present day?
And from what century I'm guessing the 11th?

This site claims:

"Town AD 601-03, Priest 601-04, Earl 616, This 670, Streale 680, Ward 680, Thing 685-6, Theft 688-95, Worth 695, Then 695-6"

I've heard of a few words that have been around, staying spelled the exact same way, since Latin.

According to this site, 'water' comes from ProtoIndoeuropean (or ProtoIndo-Hittite) 'watar', which means it's probably older than we can tell.

'So people who airily talk about "the oldest word in a language" in fact do not know very much about language.' Joseph F Foster, Associate Professor of Anthropology & Director of Undergraduate Studies

quote:

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Originally posted by bedstor:
Nobodies asked this yet so here goes:
What are the Oldest known words in the English Language are spelt the same as the present day?
And from what century I'm guessing the 11th?

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Where does the word "NOBODIES" fit in ?

Ah well, you see, some people are somebodies, some are nobodies, and since the somebodies haven't asked the question yet, it's left to the nobodies.

I don't speak Spanish, but aren't "hidalgos" hijos de alguna or something close, meaning "sons of somebody"?

Hidalgo comes from hijo de algo, i.e., nobility.

Juan, how does hijo de algo ("son of something," for those who don't speak Spanish) come to mean "nobility?" It sounds more like a polite way of swearing to me! Is it a common expression for royalty? Is it only common in Spain? I've never heard it before.

Well, I should have done a google search before asking! Here's the answer I found on an arbitary website (let me know if this strikes you as incorrect, Juan):

La palabra española Hidalgo era usada para designar a gente noble o de cierta alcurnia, procede de la frase "Hijo de Algo" (lo contrario a ser "Hijo de Nada o de Nadie").

"The Spanish word 'Hidalgo' was used to designate someone noble or of a certain lineage, stemming from the phrase 'son of something' (the opposite of being "son of nothing or nobody")."

Thanks, Sarai! Oh, you're quite welcome.

Looks good to me, Sarai. Oh, thank you, Juan.