Why is the Earth called the Earth? The history of the origin of the name of our planet

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

We live in a world in which everything seems so familiar and settled that we never think about why the things around us are named that way. How did the objects around us get their names? And why was our planet called "Earth" and not otherwise?

First, let's find out how names are given now. After all, astronomers discover new celestial bodies, biologists find new plant species, and entomologists find insects. They also need to be given a name. Who is dealing with this issue now? You need to know this to find out why the planet was called "Earth".

Toponymy will help

Since our planet belongs to geographical objects, let's turn to the science of toponymy. She is engaged in the study of geographical names. More precisely, she studies the origin, meaning, development of the toponym. Therefore, this amazing science is in close interaction with history, geography and linguistics. Of course, there are situations when the name, for example, of a street, is given just like that, by chance. But in most cases place names have their own history,sometimes going back centuries.

The planets will answer

Answering the question of why the Earth was called the Earth, we must not forget that our home is a space object. It is part of the planets of the solar system, which also have names. Perhaps, by studying their origin, it will be possible to find out why the Earth was called the Earth?

As for the most ancient names, scientists and researchers do not have an exact answer to the question of how exactly they arose. At present, there are only numerous hypotheses. Which one is correct, we will never know. As for the name of the planets, the most common version of their origin is as follows: they are named after the ancient Roman gods. Mars - the Red Planet - received the name of the god of war, which cannot be imagined without blood. Mercury - the most "frisky" planet, rotating faster than others around the Sun, owes its name to the lightning-fast messenger of Jupiter.

It's all about the gods

To what deity does the Earth owe its name? Almost every nation had such a goddess. Among the ancient Scandinavians - Yord, among the Celts - Ehte. The Romans called her Tellus, and the Greeks - Gaia. None of these names is similar to the current name of our planet. But, answering the question of why the Earth was called the Earth, let's remember two names: Yord and Tellus. We'll still need them.

Voice of Science

In fact, the question of the origin of the name of our planet, with which children so love to torment their parents, has been of interest to scientists for a long time. Many versions have been put forwardsmashed to smithereens by opponents until there were a few left that were considered the most likely.

In astrology, it is customary to use Latin names to designate planets. And in this language, the name of our planet is pronounced as Terra ("earth, soil"). In turn, this word goes back to the Proto-Indo-European ters meaning “dry; dry". Along with Terra, the name Tellus is often used to refer to the Earth. And we have already met it above - this is how the Romans called our planet. Man, as an exclusively terrestrial being, could name the place where he lives, only by analogy with the earth, the soil under his feet. It is also possible to draw analogies with the biblical legends about the creation by God of the earthly firmament and the first man, Adam, from clay. Why is the earth called earth? Because for a man it was the only place to live.

To all appearances, it is on this principle that the current name of our planet appeared. If we take the Russian name, then it came from the Proto-Slavic root zem -, which means “low”, “bottom” in translation. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in ancient times people considered the Earth to be flat.

In English, the name of the Earth sounds like Earth. It takes its origin from two words - erthe and eorthe. And those, in turn, came from an even more ancient Anglo-Saxon erda (remember how the Scandinavians called the goddess of the Earth?) - "soil" or "soil".

Another version of why the Earth was called the Earth,says that man could survive only thanks to agriculture. It was after the appearance of this occupation that the human race began to develop successfully.

Why is the Earth called the nurse

The Earth is a huge biosphere inhabited by diverse life. And all living things that exist on it are fed at the expense of the Earth. Plants take the necessary trace elements in the soil, insects and small rodents feed on them, which, in turn, serve as food for larger animals. People are engaged in agriculture and grow wheat, rye, rice and other types of plants necessary for life. They raise livestock that eat plant foods.

Life on our planet is a chain of interconnected living organisms that do not die only thanks to the Mother Earth. If a new ice age begins on the planet, the likelihood of which scientists have again started talking after unprecedented cold this winter in many warm countries, then the survival of mankind will be in doubt. Ice-bound land will not be able to produce a crop. Such a disappointing forecast.