The Fascinating World of Words: My Journey between English and Spanish
How knowing the origin of words can change your outlook on them.
Last time, I shared my story of finally learning Spanish. I also mentioned how my fascination with common English-Spanish words led me to re-read “Word Power Made Easy.” As English and Spanish have strong roots in Latin, I decided to explore the etymology of words. This exploration has completely changed the way I see many words.
Starting Simple: Con and Com
Let’s start with something simple. In Spanish, “con” (or “com”) means together. So, whenever you see English words with “con,” think of togetherness:
- Conjunction: Joining together.
- Confluence: Flowing together.
- Consummate: Bringing together to completion.
Delving Deeper: Etymology in Action
Let’s delve deeper with the word company. As mentioned above, com means together. But what about “pan”? In Spanish, “pan” means bread. So, originally, the word company meant people who eat together (like companion). What about the word compare? “Par” means equality, so anytime you see “par,” think of something that breeds equality. That way, comparisons should ideally be made between equals (unlike today where we end up comparing ourselves with…
