Many words in the Ukrainian language have a long history and evolution, sometimes changing their original meaning or losing it completely. Archaisms that have lost relevance, but remain in our language, often lead to interesting and unexpected associations. Let's consider ten words that once had a completely different meaning, but now can surprise.
- Cattle: Nowadays, this word is associated with swearing, but it used to refer to cattle, especially bulls. The number of cattle in the household served as an indicator of wealth.
- Bovdur: A modern crude word that once meant idols carved out of wood. In some territories of Ukraine, it is used in the literal sense, as chimneys preserved in houses.
- Guest: Previously, this word had the meaning of foreigners and visiting merchants, not referring to persons who visited us.
- Shame: Before the mid-19th century, this word meant any entertaining spectacle or display, not shame as it is today.
- Healthy: This word was once associated with successful warriors who returned from battle alive and wounded, but not dead. Therefore, healthy warriors were a symbol of success and happiness.
- Fat: The meaning of this word once indicated a desire for material wealth and luxury. Phraseologism "getting mad with fat" indicates that a person already has everything he needs, but he is still not satisfied.
- Shout: This word used to mean plowing the land, not talking loudly.
- Beer: It had the collective meaning of any drink, but later came to be associated with alcoholic beverages, especially hops, like modern beer.
- Holiday: In the past it indicated a void, a day off from work, similar to the modern understanding of a day off.
- Kiss: Once upon a time, this word meant "healer" or "healer", and the tradition of kissing when meeting was associated with healing each other.
Studying the history of words can lead to interesting discoveries and enrich the understanding of language evolution.
