1. On the origin and meaning of the German word Luft and some meteorological terms concerning atmospheric water, especially fog
- Author
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Möller, Detlev
- Subjects
History of meteorology ,history of terminology ,etymology ,air ,atmospheric water ,Geography (General) ,G1-922 - Abstract
The English and French word “air” is derived from the Latin aer, which comes from the Greek άήρ. In contrast, the German word “Luft” is a common Proto-Germanic word; in Old English “ lift” and “ lyft”. The word Luft (also Danish, Swedish and Norwegian) is associated with brightness; the German Licht (light), an air (in an atmospheric sense) without fog or clouds. Air and water were originally “elements” in ancient Greek and were transmutable; they represented two kinds of the “ layer of mist” (atmosphere). Dark or thick air was mist or cloud, hiding the gods (who lived in the upper air or sky; the aether). Different terms are presented that describe fog and clouds in connection with the history of the process of understanding. Finally, the word Luft (air) as a term for gaseous chemical compounds (“kinds of gases”) is discussed. In addition to the German, all terms are given in Greek, Latin, English and French .
- Published
- 2014
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