Trimming our vocabulary

Americans say 'soccer' instead of 'football' for this reason

Have you ever wondered why we say ‘fab’ for fabulous, or ‘uni’ for university? A natural characteristic of most languages is that speakers, even if they don't realize it, try to say the most amount of things with the least amount of words possible. This can be done in many ways, including by shortening the word to its smallest form. While in some cases the short and the long versions are used at the same time, many terms that we don’t think twice about actually have a longer version. Keep on reading to discover the original form of these everyday words.

Public establishments dedicated to selling alcohol are as old as time and have gone by several names over the centuries. In English, taverns, alehouses, and inns existed way before the word ‘pub’ was in use. Where did it come from, then? In the 17th century, the term ‘public house’ began to be used to distinguish these establishments from private houses and residences, and the shortened version of ‘pub’ was registered for the first time in 1859.

Buses weren't always machines. The first recorded bus dates back to 1823 in Nantes, France, where a horse-drawn carriage service transported passengers to the public baths. The service was called Omnes Omnibus, Latin for ‘everything for everyone’. The omnibus part remained and was adopted into English to refer to public transport, later shortened to ‘bus’.

While we still use the full word ‘refrigerator’ in English, ‘fridge’ is now a word in its own right. But how did it get to that form? As modern refrigerators became increasingly more common in the 20th century, people started shortening their name to ‘frig’, but this form sounded harsher than the original. To capture the sound of the g in ‘refrigerator’, writers started writing the word as ‘fridge’, mirroring the spelling of words like ‘bridge’ or ‘lodge’.

Many think that Americans use the term soccer because a sport named football was already popular in the U.S., and they are only half right. Originally, there were several sports named football: Rugby football (now, just rugby), Association football (soccer), and Gridiron football (football). In the late 19th century, English students started shortening Association football to ‘assoc’ and then to ‘soccer’, a name that became popular and coexisted with the term ‘football’ for a long time. While ultimately ‘football’ became the more widespread term for the sport, in America, due to the popularity of Gridiron football, the name ‘soccer’ remained.

The word ‘perk’ has many meanings, but not all are a shortened version of another word. The word ‘perquisite’ comes from the Latin perquisitum, meaning ‘something carefully sought or acquired’. In the 19th century, it was shortened to ‘perk’, which has now evolved to mean a benefit or an extra, usually related to a job or salary.

While ‘mistress’ often has a negative connotation in modern English, this was not always the case. Originally, ‘mistress’ was the feminine version of ‘master’, as in ‘the head of a household’. Around the 1600s, it was shortened to ‘miss’, and both ‘mistress’ and ‘miss’ were used for the lady of the house. Eventually, ‘miss’ came to be used for young, unmarried ladies, while ‘mistress’ evolved into ‘Mrs’ (pronounced missus).

Have you ever heard the word ‘acute’ used to describe a sharp pain or a sharp-witted person? Believe it or not, it is related to the word we use to talk about charming and pretty things and people. While acute —and its shortened version, ‘cute’— originally meant ‘perceptive’ or ‘sharp’, it became a slang word for clever, fetching, or pretty things in the 19th century. Eventually, the meaning broadened to include physical appearances.

Middle English had many gender neutral terms to refer to people —think ‘child’ or ‘sibling’, for example— and ‘girl’ was one of these terms. Originally gyrle or girle, it was used to describe any small child, regardless of their sex, and adjectives were added to specify if it was male or female. Around the 15th and 16th centuries, the meaning shifted to refer to young females, while also becoming an affectionate term for women of all ages.

‘Taxi’ and ‘cab’ are used interchangeably for a vehicle with a hired driver, and many people have at least once heard the term ‘taxicab’, now practically obsolete. But what if we tell you that taxicab is not the original term either? A taximeter (a mix of taxa, ‘charge’, and metron, ‘measure’) was an instrument used to measure and determine a fare, while a cabriolet was a light, horse-drawn carriage. The first automatic taximeter was invented in Germany in 1891, and attached to horse carriages and later to automobiles. These vehicles were initially called taximeter cabs, then taxicabs, and ultimately just taxis or cabs.

Ask any high school student, and most of them will agree that prom is a major rite of passage of adolescence. This tradition is derived from high society formal dances that gave young people the opportunity to practice their social skills and make acquaintances. But what does ‘prom’ mean? The original term is ‘promenade’, a word you may recognize in relation to walkways and avenues, a French term used for a leisurely walk or stroll. In high society events, ‘promenade’ was used for the initial formal parade of the guests, which gave them the chance to show off their attire. Eventually, it came to refer to the event itself.

WILD HOLIDAYS

10 Crazy Festivals From Around The World You Have To See To Believe

Image: Adam Whitlock

When it comes to something universally loved worldwide, coming together to celebrate things is undoubtedly one of them. Anniversaries, popular traditions, and historical and religious events are an important part of human culture. Some places, however, take festivities to new heights, pushing the boundaries of social norms with crazy festivals and dangerous traditions.

From ancient traditions to modern-day spectacles, these 10 festivals offer a glimpse into the wonderfully weird tapestry of human culture. Get ready to expand your horizons and maybe even add a few new destinations to your bucket list!

Image: Graham McLellan, CC BY 2.0

Location: Buñol, Spain

For one day in August, the small town of Buñol in Spain becomes ground zero for the world's largest tomato fight. Thousands of participants hurl overripe tomatoes at each other in a messy, yet strangely cathartic, display of pure fun. The tradition originated in the 40s after a spontaneous tomato fight erupted during an unrelated festivity, and after that, it became so popular that everyone in town started to join in.

Image: Jirka Matousek, CC BY 2.0

Location: Boryeong, South Korea

Every summer, the sleepy coastal town of Boryeong in South Korea transforms into a mud-soaked playground during the Boryeong Mud Festival. What started as a promotional event for the town's mineral-rich mud skincare products has evolved into a massive celebration featuring mud pools, mudslides, and even mud skiing competitions.

Image: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0

Location: Thailand

During Songkran—known as the Thai New Year—all Thailand engages in a country-wide water fight. Locals and tourists take to the streets armed with hoses and buckets, ready to douse each other with water in a symbolic cleansing ritual. Originating as a celebration of harvest and springtime, people traditionally throw water on images of Buddha or statues in Buddhist temples.

Image: Tara Raye

Location: Castrillo de Murcia, Spain

In the village of Castrillo de Murcia in Spain, an unusual tradition takes place during the week-long festivities of Corpus Christi, a strange ritual known as El Colacho in Spanish, or "Baby Jumping". As part of the ritual, men dressed as devils jump over rows of babies born in the past year that lie on mattresses in the street. The tradition is believed to cleanse them of sin and protect them from evil spirits.

Image: Vfbia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Location: Ivrea, Italy

In a similar fashion to the Spanish Tomatina, the Carnival of Ivrea includes a traditional orange battle, where organized teams fight each other by throwing oranges. However, the festivity goes back to medieval times, as it commemorates the city’s successful rebellion against a local tyrant. The Carnival lasts three whole days, during which the orange battle rages on while various other minor traditions are held.

Image: Bry Ulrick

Location: Nevada, U.S.A.

Burning Man isn't just a festival—it's a temporary city built in the heart of the Nevada desert for one week each summer. This experimental community celebrates radical self-expression, art, and communal living, culminating in the ritual burning of a massive wooden effigy known as "The Man." Festival goers are encouraged to clean after themselves and embrace principles of inclusion and responsibility.

Image: San Fermin Pamplona - Navarra

Location: Pamplona, Spain

Each year in July, the Spanish city of Pamplona hosts the infamous Running of the Bulls during the Saint Fermin festival. Brave—or foolhardy—participants run alongside a herd of charging bulls through the narrow streets of the city in a thrilling display of adrenaline-fueled madness. Despite its inherent dangers (as one would expect, injuries are common), it's a tradition that dates back centuries and continues to attract thrill-seekers from around the world.

Image: Dave Farrance, CC BY-SA 3.0

Location: Gloucestershire, England

In the tiny English village of Brockworth, Gloucestershire, an age-old tradition known as the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake takes place each spring. Participants launch themselves down a steep hill in pursuit of a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese, risking life and limb for the chance to be named the winner. Recently, the quirky event gained worldwide recognition, with participants coming from all over the world for a chance to catch the elusive cheese.

Image: Sime Basioli

Location: Looe Key Reef, United States

Ever dreamed of joining an underwater orchestra playing catchy old-time tunes? If that’s the case, then you definitely should go check out the Underwater Music Festival that takes place annually in the Florida Keys. This underwater spectacle features musicians playing specially designed instruments while submerged in the crystal-clear waters of Looe Key Reef, creating a one-of-a-kind sensory experience that blurs the line between art and nature.

Image: U.S. Air Force photo/Cortney Paxton

Location: Sonkajärvi, Finland

First introduced at Sonkajärvi, Finland, the Wife-Carrying Contest is exactly what you would expect from its name: male contestants race through an obstacle course while carrying their female partners on their backs. While the precise origin of this weird practice is not clear, today it’s considered sort of a joke sport—though competitors tend to take it very seriously—with the winners taking home the wife’s weight in beer.