kindergarten's originated in germany and spread all over so why in england is it not called the same
2007-01-18 06:16:44 · 18 answers · asked by lou 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
and no i have not answerd my own question. its PART of my homework
2007-01-18 06:33:31 · update #1
I believe the school system came into being during the early 20th Century. I dare say anything sounding German would have been unfashionable!
2007-01-18 06:51:20 · answer #1 · answered by queenbee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a very good question. I am American and didn't realize that it wasn't called Kindergarten (German for "children's garden") in England.
I don't think it has anything to do with WWII or any other attitudes about Germany per se. After all, the USA was at war with Germany and uses "kindergarten."
Here's what Wiki has to say about it:
United Kingdom
The first year of school in England and Wales is called Reception and comes before Year 1. Pre-school daycare (which is not part of the school system) is called Nursery School or just "nursery" and there are also part time playgroups. The term "kindergarten" is very occasionally used instead of "nursery school," but this is mainly for marketing purposes.
2007-01-18 15:03:53 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because (as you said) they originated in Germany. Germany has always been more advanced than England as far as education is concerned. So, just like we've adopted lots of French terms for food and Italian terms for music, we use the German word for this concept which started in Germany.
Kind = child; Kinder = children; Garten = garden
Incidentally, if this is part of your homework, I'm sure your teacher didn't spell kindergartens with an apostrophe !
2007-01-18 19:14:39 · answer #3 · answered by deedsallan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why something is not is difficult to say when the question is applied to language. I do however have a guess.
Wide-spread education of the masses is largely a product of the 20th century. During that time, Germany twice attacked England. I know the fact of two world wars huge German population's influence in the USA and allowed smaller populations, such as the Irish, to enjoy disproportionate social and political influence. It is easy to guess war-time feelings spilled over to the language and made the English avoid the common expression.
That would be my best guess. Hope it helps.
2007-01-18 15:17:05 · answer #4 · answered by Poetic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I haven't lived in England for many years but I had my childhood there and "kindergarten" was commonly used for the first year of school. That was in the 1950s. If there was any problem with using a German word it would have been then but there was no problem at all.
Why they don't use "kindergarten" today I don't know but they did so for many years after World War II.
2007-01-18 14:47:01 · answer #5 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because we speak English rather than German. The English equivalent of a kindergarten is a nursery.
2007-01-18 14:30:26 · answer #6 · answered by leekier 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we speak English. Even the translation, children's garden, sound stupid. So we prefer nursery, which has nice warm connotations of nanny, starched aprons, soft white beds and boiled eggs with soldiers for tea.
Of course, most British nurseries are nothing like this. They're draughty old halls stuffed full of smelly toys and screaming, untended children.
2007-01-18 14:21:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Often things are named differently than what some countries woud name them as well as some speling is different
English: colour American: color
just from different areas
2007-01-18 14:30:37 · answer #8 · answered by Roger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because england likes to keep its heritage, and calling 'kindergarten' 'nursery' is a very english thing.
2007-01-18 14:22:36 · answer #9 · answered by fred f 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We had our own words for them so we didn't need to adopt a foreign word. Good luck with your homework.
2007-01-18 17:42:17 · answer #10 · answered by Helen 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋