Where does that word come from?
“Instead of a handshake, I gave Toby a high-five to break the ice, and when we sat on the front porch and started talking non-stop, it was like serendipity brought us together.”
That sentence contains various words and actions that you see and hear every day. But have you ever wondered where some of our most common communication-related terms come from?
Handshake
We do it every day, sometimes 20 times a day. But how many of us really know where the handshake originated? According to author and speaker Melvin Murphy, “The handshake has more anthropological than historical origins. Men used to carry knives, spears, and stones. And when land was scarce, men reached out to show they weren’t trying to kill their neighbour . “
Also, the ancient Greeks had the impression that the right hands were mysteriously connected to the heart. And they may not have been very far. The handshake is a symbol equivalent to a promise. It becomes a virtue of the word and the value of the person who extends it. It’s an honorable deal before the attorneys get involved. The handshake is a very valuable tool and, as in business, communication is often one-to-one, flexible, and indicates that an agreement has been reached in current transactions. He says that all information and intentions have been revealed so that the value of the handshake is not diminished. The lesson here is that the handshake has historically had symbolic importance. Good to know what your handshake is worth. It’s your word and it says you can keep your promises. “
High five
It was late in the 1977 season. The Dodgers’ Dusty Baker was rounding up third, heading home, having hit his 30th homer. The Dodgers were heading for a NL pennant! The batter on deck was Glenn Burke, enjoying his second season in the majors. As Baker crossed the plate, Burke raised his hand. Baker responded by raising his. The two hands came together and a bit of history was made: the first high five.
Popularized in the ’80s, the high five not only served as a cultural symbol, it was also added to the dictionary! According to Merriam Webster, high-fives (noun or verb) is “a slap by two people with the right hand raised, as in a celebration.”
Break the ice
The origin of the term ice breaker can be traced back to ancient business practices that involve, well, ice breaking. When cargo ships were trapped in the ice for weeks due to freezing cold winters, smaller ships were sent to break the ice in order to open a path for future trade. In other words, if you (as a boatman) wanted to get down to business, you had to break the ice.
Front porch
In the book Conservation of porches, Rene Kahn explains that front porches were first made popular by the Greeks. They were used as meeting places for public discussions, originally called porticoes. As history unfolded and the Middle Ages arrived, the portico came to represent the vestibule of a cathedral where the faithful could gather to socialize before and after the service. Later, in Victorian times, the word “porch” was used interchangeably with the words “veranda”, “piazza”, “loggia” and “portico”, each of which could connote individual meanings. From this period until the second half of the 19th century, the word “porch” itself most often described a small enclosed hall or a covered rear entrance.
At this time, in the late 19th century, the word “portico” began to represent its current meaning. This meaning, in its American sense, generally refers to a “covered living room, but with incomplete walls.” Honestly, I like what Bill Cosby says about front porches: “The front porch was an invention of the housewife who wanted to keep her husband far enough away to be quiet; but close enough in case she couldn’t lift something. heavy”.
Fruit of chance
According to http://www.idiomsite.com, although this phrase was traditionally thought to be a spontaneous statement or response (isn’t it surprising how those ideas come to you that way …?), It actually originates from one of two places, depending on who you listen to. An example comes from the English pub keeper’s accounting system. Waiters of the time kept track of customer labels by markings made on the starched cuffs of their shirts, so that with a simple glance at the cuffs of their shirts, the waiter could quote a seemingly “improvised” price. It may also stem from the alleged practice, in the 1930s, of public speakers taking last-minute notes on the cuffs of their shirts to wear during their speeches.
Serenity
According to http://www.word-detective.com, the connection you have heard of between “serendipity” and Sri Lanka is true, and it is a very interesting story. In 1754, Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, wrote a letter to his friend, Horace Mann. In this letter, Horace W. promised to explain to Horace M. the derivation of a new word that he had invented, “serendipity”:
I once read a silly fairy tale called “The Three Princes of Serendip”; while their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they did not seek.
By “serendipity,” Walpole meant “the gift of making fortunate discoveries, of finding valuable things that one is not looking for,” and the word entered English in that sense. Interestingly, however, ‘serendipity’ was rarely used in literature until the 20th century, and today it is used more often to refer to the lucky find or chance itself, as in ‘A parking meter with time remaining when one it’s broken is serendipity. ‘ ‘”
So the next time someone mentions one of these words; shakes your hand or gives you five; tell him the story behind it. It’s a great conversation starter and a sure way to spice up your encounter.