Quiz
Today, ketchup is a popular tomato-based condiment, but its name originally comes from the Hokkien Chinese word 'kê-tsiap'. What was this original 'kê-tsiap' sauce made of?
Chapter 1
Secrets hidden in our food
Chapter 2
Words born from ancient myths
Chapter 3
Words created by accident
Chapter 4
Global travelers in English
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of words
Ch 4 · Global travelers in English
schopenhauer Global Travelers
We pack our bags to see a different view, But 'travel' once meant torture, who knew?
schopenhauer The word 'algebra' comes from an Arabic word meaning the reunion of broken parts, originally used in bone-setting.
schopenhauer The word 'shampoo' originally referred to a head massage using fragrant oils, not a liquid hair soap.
BETA
schopenhauer Trace words along their historical routes to discover the surprising origins of everyday vocabulary.
Fun Fact
Robot origins: The word robot was coined in 1920 by Czech playwright Karel Čapek, originating from a word meaning forced labor.
Glossary
loanword (noun)
A word adopted from one language and incorporated into another without translation. English adopted the Hindi massage term 'chāmpo' as 'shampoo' in 1762 during the British Raj.
A word adopted from one language and incorporated into another without translation. English adopted the Hindi massage term 'chāmpo' as 'shampoo' in 1762 during the British Raj.
Quiz
The word 'zero' traveled from Sanskrit to Arabic to Latin, but what was its original Sanskrit name?
Quiz
The word 'algebra' comes from an Arabic term that was historically used in what medical practice?
Quiz
The word 'bizarre' is believed to have entered French from a Basque word meaning what?