Why is the place we park called a driveway and the place we drive called a parkway?

Answer 1

Hahahaha .. That's hilarious

Answer 2

I suppose you may just be kidding around....

But in case you really were wondering --

The explanation can be summarized in three parts:

1) Grammar (the building of English compounds). The parts of English compound words like these can be related in a variety of different ways. So in this case, the relationship of "drive" and "park" to "way" is different in each case;

one based on the verb "to drive", the other based on the NOUN "park".

2) History of "Driveway" --- This originally referred to a private road, usually between a public road and a private house. Historically, these were rather long (think of an impressive country estate -- poor folk or those living in the city would not have a driveway), and their main purpose was indeed for DRIVING driving to the house, certainly not for leaving the horses and carriage (and later car) sitting on.

But in more recent times, driveways got shorter and people began more frequently to leave their cars on them (esp. as they added MORE cars and the garages became full of other stuff!)

3) "Park" is used in two different senses in these words (which is always a good setup for a pun or joke)

"parkway" meaning "a broad LANDSCAPED thoroughfare" is based on the NOUN "park"

Thus "park" here refers not to what one does ON this sort of road but to the "park" areas built (or left) around it. This fits with the meaning of park as an area of land that is set aside (originally by royal grant or law), for gardens, animals, etc.
the VERB "park" is based on this noun, referring to leaving something sitting in one place

(Thus is one sense both 'park in the driveway' and 'drive on the parkway' base 'park' on the same root idea -- only in one it is the land beside the road that is left sitting, in the one it is the vehicle.)


http://www.thefreedictionary.com/park
http://www.webster.com/dictionary/driveway

Answer 3

If you did a quick search of yahoo answers for Driveway + parkway, you would see you are 229th person to ask this

Answer 4

same reason , the English Language is an enigma. as an occasion the plural of goose is ducks ok? what's the plural of moose The plural of mouse is mice what's the plural of domicile yet another why does a house burn down because it burns up? there is lots greater in case you seem for them

Answer 5

So that Jerry Seinfeld could rise to comic stardom.

Answer 6

Just one of the idiosyncrasies of the English language!

Answer 7

because the english language is weird and confusing like that??

LOL, I don't know. English seems to be anything but straightforward.

Answer 8

maybe someone thought it would be funny when naming things

Answer 9

and why do we wear a windbreaker?

Answer 10

i dunno'