Here's a breakdown:
* Cognate: A word that shares a common origin with a word in another language.
* True Cognate: A cognate that also shares the same meaning in both languages.
Examples:
* English "night" and German "Nacht" are true cognates. They both derive from the Proto-Germanic word *nahti*.
* English "father" and Spanish "padre" are true cognates. They both derive from the Proto-Indo-European word *ph₂tḗr*.
Key characteristics of true cognates:
* Similar spelling and pronunciation: This is due to the shared origin and linguistic evolution.
* Identical or very similar meaning: The core meaning of the word has been preserved across languages.
Contrast with false cognates:
* False cognates have similar spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings. For example, "bank" in English (financial institution) and "bank" in French (shore) are false cognates.
* Partial cognates have the same origin but have diverged in meaning. For example, "meat" in English and "meat" in French are partial cognates; they share the same origin, but the English word is more restricted to the edible flesh of animals, while the French word can include other types of food.
Identifying true cognates:
* Etymological dictionaries: These dictionaries trace the origins of words and can help determine if two words are cognates.
* Linguistic knowledge: Understanding the historical relationships between languages can help in recognizing cognates.
* Contextual clues: Sometimes the meaning of a word can be deduced from the context, even if its origin is unknown.
Knowing about true cognates can be helpful for language learners, as it allows them to quickly acquire vocabulary and understand the relationships between languages.