Who made up the names of common things that we use everyday? Who made up the alphabet? Who made up how numbers look and why does it go 1,2,3. and not 2,1,3?
2007-04-23 12:20:48 · 5 answers · asked by Weezer792 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The so-called Roman alphabet (from ancient Greek alpha + beta) grew out of a system created by the Phonecians (who lived around what is now Lebanon & Israel thousands of years ago).
The numbers we know and use came from the Arabs, who borrowed them from India.
The names of things in English come from many sources, including Old English, French, German, Latin & Greek. Indo-European languages mostly come from Indian Aryan roots through various routes. Many European languages (such as Italian, Spanish & French) are called Romance languages because they come from Roman (Latin) origins. English itself is a Germanic language (German, Dutch, English), but it also has roots in Celtic, Norse (from the Viking occupation of England (around 800 AD) and French. William the Conqueror came to England in 1066 from Normandy (in northern France). Normandy comes from North Man (= Norse = Viking).
The study of word origins is called etymology, and it's a fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) academic discipline.
2007-04-25 01:55:05 · answer #1 · answered by peter_lobell 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has to do with the evolution of communication, and it';s as simple as that.
Take the number one, for example. Eng: One, French, Un, Span. Uno. Hear the commonality? That is because many languages have a common ancestry. If t you take the shovel, you can hear shove in that word. It describes the purpose. The Zamboni which makes ice at skating rinks was named after the Man. The butterfly was originally a flutter by, but lketters got jumplked and we have butterfly.
Every year, hundered of new words are introduced into English, while others become obscolete.
2007-04-23 12:42:08 · answer #2 · answered by Legandivori 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Really---do you really want to know the answer, or are you just bored. The answer is that our modern dictionary, our aplhabet, our numbering system and their respective characters ar a culimation of many native languages around the world. Years and years of integration of cultures resulted in what we consider our alphabet. Some languages and characters around the world will never be completely translayed into moder english
2007-04-23 12:31:13 · answer #3 · answered by firemed1228 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
nicely for one component its loopy because of the fact its the loopy little component mentioned as love which makes you experience butterflies once you get it certainly an emotion that makes you experience something for a undeniable different
2016-10-03 11:24:43 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know i have always wondered that my self!
~THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW~
2007-04-23 12:24:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋