Words that Travel

Question

Elizabeth Mohn

1Most people go about their lives without giving much thought to the origins of the words they use. Many words people use today trace their origins to words from the past. Words change over time, and new words are constantly added to existing languages. The many foreign words and foreign roots used in the English language come from different sections of the world. Traveling, trading, and communicating with foreign citizens has altered the English language, as well as other languages around the world.

2Although most of the English words people currently use have been part of the English language for hundreds of years, some words come from other languages. Some of these foreign words have changed over time. Other words in English have been adopted directly from other languages and remain unchanged from their original forms.

3Many English words—even words related to everyday activities—have foreign origins. For example, some words relating to the activity of boating come from other languages. The word schooner, which is a type of sailing ship, came from the Dutch language. Many nautical terms have Dutch origins because the Dutch were traders and merchants who sailed around the world, peddling their goods. The word gondola, which is a type of boat, is originally an Italian word. English speakers sometimes call boat races “regattas.” The word regatta comes from the Italian word regata. In France, in the United States, and in some other countries, it is a tradition to wish contestants bon chance, which means "good luck," before they start a race.

4Other English words describing outdoor activities also come from foreign languages. The word rodeo comes from Spanish. At the rodeo, participants often ride broncos, which are horses. In Spanish, the word bronco literally means "wild" or "rough." The word lasso has origins similar to those of rodeo and bronco—it comes from the Spanish word lazo.

5 Many common dance terms were first used in foreign countries. For example, the word ballet is a French word that describes a style of dance. Furthermore, flamenco, which originally came from the Spanish language, is an English word that describes a rhythmic dance. Another formal type of dance is the waltz. The word waltz was originally part of the German language.

6 Even the words for some of the clothes and accessories we wear while completing everyday activities come from other languages. For example, the word parka came to English from the Russian language. English speakers use the word moccasin to describe soft leather shoes or boots. Both the shoes and the word used to describe them come from the Native Americans. The word bandana was adopted into English from a similar Hindi word. This just shows you that there is much more to many of the words we use every day!

Which country does the word parka come from?
Responses
A France
B Germany
C Russia
D Spain

Answer 1

C Russia