Tuesday, April 5, 2016

A-to-Z Challenge: D

Today, we’re going driving.


Drive comes from the Old English drifan, force, push, or drive back. It comes from the Proto Germanic driban and earlier, the Proto Indo European dhreibh, drive or push. Originally it meant something that you drove forward from behind, like a carriage that you drive forward by being behind the horses. But then cars ended up changing everything and now we don’t do much besides aim and hit the gas.

Having fun yet? : )

Sources
Online Etymology Dictionary
Tony Jebson’s page on the Origins of Old English
University of Texas at Austin Linguistic Research Center
University of Texas at San Antonio’s page on Proto Indo European language
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14 comments:

  1. Kate LarkindaleApril 5, 2016 at 4:21 AM

    This one actually makes sense. How unusual.

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  2. Tasha Duncan-DrakeApril 5, 2016 at 4:29 AM

    I like automatic cars, so yep, all I do is aim and accelerate :) Sounds like we just took the being in control bit for drive and dumped the hard work :)
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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  3. NicolaApril 5, 2016 at 5:38 AM

    As writing is a solitary activity, mostly, we all have to have some self-drive to achieve our goals. Nice post.

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  4. Rhonda AlbomApril 5, 2016 at 5:59 AM

    That is an interesting word origin. Is there any relation back to Latin roots?

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  5. Alex J. CavanaughApril 5, 2016 at 7:43 AM

    Yeah, but aiming and hitting the pedestrians would be illegal...

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  6. AnonymousApril 5, 2016 at 10:02 AM

    That's interesting. So, when we say we are driving, we're all using it incorrectly unless we're in buggy with a horse?

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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  7. William KendallApril 5, 2016 at 11:14 AM

    In regards to Alex's comment, it would be illegal if you were caught...

    What?

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  8. UnknownApril 5, 2016 at 12:47 PM

    Then why am I so bad at it then?

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  9. Jan MorrisonApril 5, 2016 at 3:11 PM

    Oh! I like this idea for a theme. I`ll be baCK!

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  10. M.J. FifieldApril 5, 2016 at 3:41 PM

    I like that—Aim and hit the gas...It sounds like a good description. :)

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  11. Susan Gourley/KelleyApril 5, 2016 at 5:05 PM

    I do love driving and I'm glad I don't have to hitch the horses to do it.
    Susan Says

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  12. Andrew LeonApril 5, 2016 at 6:35 PM

    Obviously, you don't play softball.

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  13. Liz A.April 5, 2016 at 7:42 PM

    Well, cars did kind of appropriate all sorts of things that belonged to carriages before them. Kind of like how we have this whole language that goes along with telephones that is no longer relevant in the cell phone age. Hanging up? Dialing?

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  14. SENCO Cat HerderApril 6, 2016 at 3:36 AM

    Love to find out about words and where they came from - made me realise where the word "drift" probably originates as well :)
    Pempi
    A Stormy’s Sidekick
    Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

    ReplyDelete

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