Post #3171036

2026-06-04 16:13 UTC

The word ‘town’ shares its origin with German ‘Zaun’ (fence) and Dutch ‘tuin’ (garden), even though their forms and meanings are quite different. They all stem form Proto-Germanic *tūnan, whose meaning is reconstructed as “fenced area”. Over the course of 2000 years, they’ve grown apart. My new graphic shows nine unexpected but true cognates in English, German, Dutch, Frisian, and Swedish. 1/

Replies (7)

@yvanspijk@toot.community 2026-06-04 16:13

2/ In the article on my Patreon (850 words, tier 1), I explain how the meanings of these nine words group diverged over time: https://www.patreon.com/posts/unexpected-160144841

Open ##3293545
@PKYo@kind.social 2026-06-04 16:30

@yvanspijk@toot.community If only we could take up a collection, raise funds, to send you back in time to speak with every linguistic group, so you could come back and tell us where etymology was right and where it was wrong.

Open ##3293547
@pjakobs@mastodon.green 2026-06-04 16:40

@yvanspijk@toot.community I would assume that the Dachfirst, the top ridge of a roof is also related. Also, seeing Knecht and Knight are related as well as toll and dull, the other word I always found funny in how it's meaning seems to be defined by what side you were on is brave/brav/bravo in En/De/Es

Open ##3293549
@EregLoch@mastodon.coffee 2026-06-04 18:24

@yvanspijk@toot.community klopt het dat 'tuin' lokaal (Texel) ook afscheiding (Zaun, fence) betekent?

Open ##3293555
@klefstadmyr@social.vivaldi.net 2026-06-05 08:54

@yvanspijk@toot.community Of course! "Tun" (Sw., but also No. (and Da. I guess)) is related to "town". I have never thought of that. Thank you.

Open ##3293557
@agturcz@circumstances.run 2026-06-05 09:10

@yvanspijk@toot.community Now I wonder if English garden and Polish ogród are cognate. Also, potentially adding guard.

Open ##3293558
@mkoek@mastodon.nl 2026-06-11 09:55

@yvanspijk@toot.community love these thanks

Open ##3293562