And who decided to call them that and not in a different order?
ie North would be East or West would be South etc
2007-02-08 06:58:58 · 13 answers · asked by Neill 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
The word north is traced to the Old High German nord, and the Proto-Indo-European unit ner-, meaning "left" or "under": a natural primitive description of its concept is "to the left of the rising sun"
The etymology of "east" is from an old Proto-Indo-European language word for dawn
The English word "west" is cognate to the Old High German word westar, which may derive from an Indo-European root from which the Latin word vesper, meaning "evening", derives.
The etymology of South can be traced back to the Old English word suth, related to the Old High German word sund, and perhaps sunne in Old English with sense of "the region of the sun."
2007-02-08 07:10:49 · answer #1 · answered by distant_foe 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry but I find this question silly. Thats like asking "why do we call bread, bread" Thats just the name of it. If it was called something else then it would have a different name. The whole north, south, east, west thing has so significent meaning.
2007-02-08 07:10:58 · answer #2 · answered by Sean W 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
An, the cardinal directions. They were originally Latin in the Western world: borealis (or septentrionalis), australis (or meridionalis), occidentalis and orientalis. But the German language butted in and replaced 'em.
North comes from "nord," meaning "left" probably as in "to the left of the rising sun." South originated from "sund," pertaining to the region of the sun. West retained some Latin heritage, coming from "vespers," meaning "evening." Finally, east, the most intersting to me, is derived from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of dawn who also lent her name to our modern holiday of Easter.
2007-02-08 07:11:13 · answer #3 · answered by D Piddy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have read in Quran, about east west
there is a verse: translation in english by 3 different translators
chapter 002. verse #115
YUSUFALI: To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing.
PICKTHAL: Unto Allah belong the East and the West, and whithersoever ye turn, there is Allah's Countenance. Lo! Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
SHAKIR: And Allah's is the East and the West, therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's purpose; surely Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing.
the other reference are:
002.115 002.142 002.177 002.258 007.137 019.016 024.035 026.028 043.038 055.017 070.040 073.009
2007-02-08 07:07:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the Middle Ages, the names of the winds were commonly known throughout the Mediterranean countries as tramontana (N), greco (NE), levante (E), siroco (SE), ostro (S), libeccio (SW), ponente (W) and maestro (NW). On portolan charts you can see the initials of these winds labeled around the edge as T, G, L, S, O, L, P, and M.
2007-02-08 07:04:49 · answer #5 · answered by smart arse 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Same reason blue is blue and red is red. It's the way the language evolved and it makes no difference whatsoever how things are labelled as long as everyone can differentiate between them.
2007-02-08 07:02:09 · answer #6 · answered by tabby90 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
To be called =D
2016-05-23 21:59:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do we call you Neill??? They are just terms/names that were applied to the subjects. It's like "Red" is red...because that's what we call it.
2007-02-08 07:03:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why is Day ...day and Night...night?
Why is SUN...sun and MOON...moon?
Who knows why whoever decided... to give things the name they have.
2007-02-08 07:12:15 · answer #9 · answered by Afi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
looking at the other answers we are never going to know
2007-02-08 07:10:16 · answer #10 · answered by boy boy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋