ABOUT SURROUND

Surround. On the surface, it’s a simple word, right? Obviously, it is the prefix <sur-> which has been fixed onto the base <round>. So, <sur + round → surround>. Or so I thought until I was led to use a good old fashioned dictionary and discovered the history of <surround>. 

 

The word <surround> can be traced back to Latin superundare “to overflow”, from Latin super- “over” + unda “wave”. On its passage from Latin to English, it flowed through French picking up the meaning of being enclosed on all sides. Its sound was influenced by “round” which also ultimately influenced its spelling.

 

You see, our written words are not just something to simply “sound out” or “just memorize”. They come to us rich with history, yet alive and still evolving for use by a group of people as they see fit.

 

Words are like stones churned by the waves. They are smoothed and polished over time. They should be approached with curiosity and delight at their variations rather than frustration.