{"id":25,"date":"2022-11-06T15:47:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T15:47:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/?page_id=25"},"modified":"2024-11-21T21:22:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T21:22:18","slug":"5-words-that-are-the-same-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/5-words-that-are-the-same-around-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Words That Are the Same Around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A lot of people assume that different languages have different words<\/a> for everything \u2013 but this often isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog, we\u2019ll explore how some words mean the same thing in virtually all languages. While some of the reasons we explain will seem obvious when you see the reasons why \u2013 others are far less obvious and relate to the way languages develop based on our need to communicate clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the world\u2019s most popular hot drink\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The global love for coffee means that you\u2019ll probably be able to get your hands on a latt\u00e9 no matter where you are. What a lot of people don\u2019t realise however is how similar most languages\u2019 word for \u201ccoffee\u201d actually is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, if you\u2019re in the Netherlands, you\u2019ll need to ask for a \u201ckoffie\u201d. In Serbia, you\u2019d ask for a \u201ckafa\u201d, and in Indonesia, you\u2019ll get your caffeine fix by asking for a \u201ckopi\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is thanks to a trend in language known as \u201cglobalization\u201d. When you study globalization, you begin to realise quite how small our world really is. In effect, we \u2018loan\u2019 words from other languages when we don\u2019t have a word ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee is a great example of how this happens because the actual product originally came from just a handful of places. As coffee beans were traded, ground, and consumed, they were described using close variations of the original word that had been used for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, variations to the word come simply because of how the local language works. For instance, the \u201c-fee\u201d noise that is common in English is less common in Indonesian dialects \u2013 hence the \u201c-pi\u201d ending in the example above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taxi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Taxi is another example of globalization \u2013 which is good news if you find yourself needing a ride anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need to get somewhere in Finland, you\u2019ll need to hail a \u201ctaksi\u201d. If you\u2019re in Korea, you\u2019ll need a \u201c\ud0dd\u201d (pronounced \u201ctaegsi\u201d). If you find yourself in Russia, you should look out for a \u201c\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0441\u0438\u201d (pronounced \u201ctaxi\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word\u2019s root can be traced back to Medieval Latin \u2013 where the word \u201ctaxa\u201d meant \u201ctax\u201d or \u201ccharge\u201d. In time, the machines that were installed in cars to record distances and fares were given the name \u201ctaximeter\u201d. The vehicle these devices were installed in became known as \u201ctaximeter cabs\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In time, this was shortened to \u201ctaxi\u201d and recognised around the world. However, the \u201ctaximeter cab\u201d origin of the word also explains why they\u2019re often referred to as \u201ccabs\u201d in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to assume that all similar words across languages are a result of one word slowly spreading across the globe \u2013 but this isn\u2019t always the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word \u201chuh\u201d is a prime example of how a very similar word can actually develop to sound and mean the same in vastly different languages. Need to quickly stop a conversation for clarification in English? Usually, a well-placed \u201chuh?\u201d will do the job. Need to seek the same clarification in Mandarin? Again, a timely \u201chuh?\u201d will work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if these words don\u2019t come from the same place, why do they sound the same and do the same job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to linguists, it\u2019s because a noise like \u201chuh\u201d has evolved to fulfil a need that occurs in all languages. \u201cHuh\u201d is considered a \u201cconversational repair initiation\u201d \u2013 a noise made by one party to let the other person know that there is a loss of information, and that this other person needs to fix that problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That fact that this need has evolved means it has followed a very similar pattern \u2013 hence it sounds similar around the world. If you make the noise now, you\u2019ll notice that your mouth and tongue barely move \u2013 it\u2019s just your vocal cords that constrict slightly. This means it requires very little effort in any language \u2013 and it\u2019s short because it needs to quickly fit into a small gap in speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As language naturally developed in different cultures, a need for understanding was universal \u2013 hence the requirement for a noise like \u201chuh\u201d to quickly interrupt spoken language and encourage further explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xerox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Need a copy of your passport taking in a different country? Chances are, you\u2019ll either see a sign offering \u201cXerox\u201d or you\u2019ll be able to ask for a \u201cXerox\u201d wherever you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why is this? Quite simply, it\u2019s because it\u2019s a brand name. In the case of Xerox, it\u2019s the brand\u2019s worldwide success that turned the name (a noun) into an action (a verb). Today, if you ask for a Xerox, you\u2019re more likely to be offered a copy of a document rather than a new copy machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, not all brand names work like this. Canon also make copiers \u2013 but if you present a document and ask for a \u201cCanon\u201d \u2013 you\u2019ll almost certainly be met with a confused look in any country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xerox has become a verb because it was the first company to offer these copy machines and has maintained its place as the best-selling brand of copiers in most parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most words don\u2019t have any real-world relationship to the thing they describe. For instance, we know a house is a house because we have learned the word \u2013 rather than the word \u201chouse\u201d actually resembling anything about a house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because the word \u201chouse\u201d isn\u2019t \u201ciconic\u201d \u2013 but some words are. Words that are iconic transcend language and are therefore understood around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoom\u201d is an example of one of these words because it is an \u201conomatopoeia\u201d \u2013 word that sounds like the action it describes. Wherever you are in the world, using the world \u201cboom\u201d to a police officer will accurately convey the fact that you\u2019ve heard a loud explosion-like noise. This applies in the U.S., in China, in Egypt, in Finland \u2013 or anywhere else you might go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other examples of iconic words include the Roman numerals I, II and III. This is because they absolutely represent what they are \u2013 I is two character, II is two characters, and III is three characters. They accurately represent what they are. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A lot of people assume that different languages have different words for everything \u2013 but this often isn\u2019t the case. In this blog, we\u2019ll explore how some words mean the same thing in virtually all languages. While some of the reasons we explain will seem obvious when you see the reasons why \u2013 others are… <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51,"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25\/revisions\/51"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vocabahead.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}