Language is the single most important thing we have: it lets us communicate with each other both in speech and in writing. The words used in language all have an origin. Terms such as habeas corpus is Latin for "bring your own body" or "we require you to bring your body," but in the English language, it stands for preventing unlawful detention of criminals. This random facts set is meant to bring to light the origins of our own English language. I hope this helps.
1. The word "nerd" was first discovered in Dr. Seuss's childrens' book, If I Ran A Zoo. It is not that surprising that one of Dr. Seuss's made up words that he used just to rhyme with another ended up being very well known in the English language. However, he probably did not mean it to take on such a rude connotation.
2. "Freedom" was coined as a real word in Old English, but originated from an Old Norse term meaning "love and peace." I do say, that is pretty accruate. Freedom does bring about love and peace, but is not exactly the meaning of the word, but rather what it yields.
3. The word "grape" was first regularly used by William of Normandy back in 11th century England. A grape used to be the term for a hook that pulled "winberiges" (now know as grapes) off of their vines. But in all honesty, I would much rather write that I ate a grape and not that I ate a winberige.
4. The term "van" has been coined throughout history since the days of Ancient Carthage. Most of the time, a van was the shortened pauper's term for caravan, which back
in the ancient days, was a wagon or group of wagons pulled by animals through an area. In modern culture, a van is just a deformed station wagon. Coincidence?5. The word "pen" comes from the old Latin term "penna" meaning feather. Penna turned into the French word "penne" which yielded the English term "pen." Back in history, feathers were used as modern day pens by writing with one end of the feather being dipped into ink.
6. The words "rage" and "rabies" have the same exact origin. They both come from the Latin word meaning madness and fury. The two words are actually so interchangable that the French word "rage" means both anger and rabies.
7. The conjunction "if" came from an Old English term spelled "gif." Gif was actually pronounced as yif, giving it a similar sound to our modern interpretation of it.
8. The words "hotel" and "hospital" both have the exact same Latin origin. They both in Latin meant where guests are received. The two terms started to develop their own meanings thanks once again to the French.
I hope this is a good, edifying peace to entertain and inform you about some of origins of our English language.