Occasionally I have cause to do a deep dive into word meanings.
Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words and their meanings. This word relates to the Ancient Greek words ἐτεός (eteós, in the sense of true, stable, real) and λογία (logía, in the sense of a descriptive account, a story), in other words, a real story.
Love (…by love…love is holy, revered, admired, praised, desired)
Way relates to the concept of a track, road, path, course, conduct, area or direction, often shaped by repeated movement. A track forms in the ground from frequent foot traffic (treads) or dragged objects (treks). This relates to the concept of road, which word derived from the riding of animals (sitting on them to travel, being carried), especially on horses, likened to the movement, motion and stirring of water, especially boiling water, (relating also to a confused fight or quarrel, and to water springing up). This less directly relates to a river (a rip in the earth) and sea inlets (an entryway into the sea). The word tread relates to trade and trade routes.
Life relates to concepts of having life, remaining alive, preserving life, sustaining life, being alive, to having a body, to exist, to remain, to dwell, to stay, to reside, to inhabit, to stick (glue).
True relates to the word tree in the sense that a tree is not easily moved, compared to a stone boundary marker for instance. It also strongly relates to a tree generally having the attributes of being upright, straight, vertical, and reliable in nature, especially evidenced when building structures a strong and upright post or wall are said to be ‘true’ and ‘supporting’. The etymology of ‘true’ also points to meanings like ‘standing’, ‘durable’, ‘faithful’ and ‘trustworthy’. Less directly the etymology touches concepts of ‘friend’ and ‘witness’ (evidenced by trees and standing stones as witnesses or ‘eyes’ to agreements and boundaries) and as a cover/covering. Possibly also relates to health in the sense of wishing someone to be as healthy (strong) as a tree, and also related to trees (and plants) bringing healing (and illness if misused). In short: reliable, faithful and trustworthy.
False (to falsify) relates to the idea of deceiving someone, and the word fall(s) with the idea of causing someone to stumble by your lie (from the idea that they lie down unintentionally after stumbling), thus the extended concepts of a fallen body and association with death. Thus True and False are technically at right angles to one another, not opposites per se.
Kill relates to the idea of striking (like a snake) or hitting or throwing or knocking down (all like an ox) (thus causing to be no longer able to stand upright but rather to fall and lie down permanently; incapacitated; unable to bear life; an irreversable lie).
Murder unlawful or illegal killing, especially of a human.
Hope as a concept means ‘confident expectation’ and relates to the idea of respectful acknowledgement of one’s duties and obligations, especially as owed to someone greater than you, prostrating one’s self to show this service.
For most children the first word they learn is relational, either to mother or father
One of the reasons that people find it difficult to learn English as a second language is that it is a blend of various other languages, which have each brought their own rules and grammar to the language. Many English words and grammar can be traced back to the Indo-European language family, a vast language group that includes languages as diverse as English, Sanskrit, Greek, Russian, German, Dutch, Swedish, and Icelandic.
| Period | Key Events | Linguistic Influences | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proto-Indo-European (Before 4500 BC) | Hypothetical ancestral language | Little is known of Mesolithic and Neolithic era migrations and trade routes. | |
| Celtic Britain (500 BC - 43 AD) | Celtic tribes inhabit Britain | Celtic languages | The Celts had trade routes all across Europe. The Celtic languages are Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic (Scotland), Manx (Isle of Man), Welsh (Wales), Cornish (Cornwall), Breton (Brittany in France), Gaulish (France, extinct), Lepontic (northern Italy, extinct) and Celtiberian (Spain and Portugal, extinct). |
| Roman Britain (43 - 410) | Roman conquest and occupation | Latin | Roman empire grew from Rome in modern italy, partly influenced by Celtic, Etruscan and Greek cultures. Rome was trading with southern England well before the 43 AD invasion. |
| Anglo-Saxon England (450 - 1066) | Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement | Old English dialects | Anglo-Saxon comes from three neighbouring tribes: Jutes (northern), Angels (central) and Saxons (southern). The Jutes from Jutland in Denmark, settled in Kent and south-east England. The Angles from Angeln, in northern Germany, settled in Anglia in north-east England. The Saxons of Saxony, in northern Germany, settled in south and central England. |
| Norse Invasions (787 - 1066) | Viking raids and settlements | Old Norse | Old Norse had several dialects, including Old Icelandic, Old Norwegian, and Old Danish |
| Norman Conquest (1066) | Norman invasion of England | Old French | Everyday Latin of Roman Empire → Roman invasion of Gaul (France) → Old French |
| Middle English (1066 - 1500) | Linguistic blending and standardization | French, Latin, Greek, and other languages | Middle English was a crucial period in the development of modern English, as it marked the blending of Old English, Old French, and other languages, leading to the formation of a more standardized and flexible language. |
| Early Modern English (1500 - 1700) | Renaissance, Age of Exploration | Latin, Greek, and languages from colonized territories | Printed material became more widespread. The ‘great vowel shift’ occurred in this period where so-called ‘educated’ people changed the way they spoke. For example, the word “house” was pronounced as “hoos” in Middle English, but it now has the pronunciation “howz.” This has changed how Modern English is spoken generally. |
| Modern English (1700 - Present) | Globalization, technological advancements | Diverse languages from around the world | English has become a global language, influenced by various cultures and languages. |
The Germanic language family, which includes English, German, Flemish and more, is a significant contributor to the English vocabulary. Words derived from Old English, a Germanic language, form the core of our everyday speech.
Germanic languages have also contributed significantly to English word formation through prefixes and suffixes:
An interesting phenomenon in English is the existence of doublets, pairs of words with similar meanings but different origins, often with one word being Germanic and the other Latinate.
Germanic languages often form complex words by combining root words. This compounding process is evident in English as well:
Germanic languages have also influenced other languages:
Some common English words with Germanic origins:
Many powerful and evocative words in English literature have Germanic roots:
Disclaimer: These are my opinion, generally based on many studies of known etymologies, but extending some meanings based on known historical cultural practices, etc.