Here's why:
* Different Types of Cognates: There are different types of cognates, including:
* True cognates: Words with the same origin and meaning (e.g., "animal" and "animal").
* False cognates: Words that look similar but have different meanings (e.g., "embarazada" and "embarrassed").
* Partial cognates: Words with a common root but have evolved with different meanings (e.g., "real" and "real").
* Vocabulary Focus: Depending on what vocabulary is considered, the percentage will change. For example, focusing on basic everyday words will yield a higher percentage than focusing on specialized scientific terms.
* Time and Dialectal Variations: The percentage of cognates changes over time as languages evolve and due to regional dialectal variations.
However, some estimates suggest that around 30-40% of English and Spanish vocabulary have some degree of cognacy. This is a significant number, and it reflects the shared Latin root of both languages.
Examples of true cognates:
* Animal / Animal
* Danger / Peligro
* Technology / Tecnología
* Information / Información
Examples of false cognates:
* "Embarrassed" (English) - "Embarazada" (Spanish, meaning "pregnant")
* "Present" (English, meaning "gift") - "Presente" (Spanish, meaning "present" or "gift" but often used in the context of time)
It's important to remember that these are just estimates. The actual percentage can be debated, and there is no definitive answer.