Sidewalk: at first glance, the words seems like an excellent to look at the differences between American and British English, with both footpath and pavement being used in British English.
What I’m more interested in though, is the word’s modernity (its first recorded use in the 18th century). I’m always curious about the etymology of words, and the long, meandering histories they can have. I’m fascinated by where words come from, how they evolve over time, and how they’re related to other words. But a modern word like sidewalk might seem to deny me that story. Neologisms like sidewalk require someone or some people to consciously coin a word, rather than it developing naturally over time. Continue reading
English-Language Thoughts 