The Surprising Origins Of Popular English Names

Have you ever questioned where the English language originated? A huge section of the language was influenced by a plethora of different cultures, mostly European. These are mainly Greek, French, Latin, French, and even Russian. We still see this influence today! Let’s check some of the words originally from another language.

Phone

Meaning: A phone is a tool for communicating with others while being apart from them.

Origin: The word comes from the Greek words for far away (tele) & sound (phon). We use the word so much, but lots of people have no idea where the word comes from!

Air

Meaning: The gas that makes up our atmosphere is invisible. There wouldn’t be life without air!

Origin: The word “air” was first used in several different languages before being adopted into English. According to linguists, the word was derived from the Greek word aer, which basically means “breathe”. Some terms incorporate both aer and air.

Liberty

Meaning: The condition of being liberated from oppressive constraints placed by authorities on one’s actions, speech, or political beliefs within society.

Origin: The term originated from Latin. It then entered the English language via the Old French word liberete, sometimes abbreviated to lib.

A language is equal to a living thing. This means that it’s always changing and evolving as it grows older. While learning a new word, you should also try to learn the word’s origins. You can always trace it back to when a word was universally accepted in the language.