Did you know that there are interesting stories hidden behind the words we use in our daily lives in English and Japanese?
This time, we will focus on "money" in particular.
The word "salad" used when enjoying a meal comes from the Latin word "sal" (salt).The name came from the ancient Romans, who would eat vegetables with salt.Salt is a daily necessity.
"Salary" comes from the "salt" that soldiers received as wages in ancient Rome.Salt = money.By the way, people who handle salt are called "merchants."
The word "dollar" also comes from the thaler, a large European silver coin from the 16th century.This thaler means "valley".This is because silver coins were made in a valley called Joachim.
The word "bank", which we rely on for deposits and loans, comes from the Italian word for "table".Recall that in medieval Italy, currency exchangers traded at market tables.
Also introduced in Japanese.
``Ginza'' got its name because it was a place where silver coins were made, and the reason the banknotes you carry are called ``fuda'' is because they were originally made of wood, not paper.
Learning the history and culture behind these words will make studying English and Japanese more interesting and lively.
Each word has a story, and by knowing that story, the world of language will expand even further.
