[KyleGoetz]

The latin-based words we use in English sure are English words. Just like "croissant" is an English word even though it comes from French, "video" is an English word even though it is literally the Latin phrase for "I see," etc.

Just because you don't think it's English doesn't make it so.

I mean, is "sushi" not an English word? Is "karaoke" not an English word? Is "opera" not an English word (Italian plural for "opus")? Is "fjord" not an English word? Is "parrot" not an English word (from French)? Is "Africa" not an English word (from Latin)? Etc.

And as far as the number of Kanji, the 大漢和辞典 has 50,000 characters. Not all of them are in use in Japan (or China), but I'd say that suggests there's more than 2,000 characters.