The etymology of the Polish language, like that of other Slavic languages, is a fascinating journey into the past, uncovering the cultural, historical and geographical influences that have shaped today's vocabulary.
Basic word
The earliest Slavic forms of dwelling, were known as "stan," "tower" and "yata." These names referred to mobile structures that the Slavs carried with them. However, over time, more permanent forms of buildings began to appear, built of wood or clay. The Slavs did not use stone to build their dwellings, which distinguished them from other cultures, which explains why the word "wall" is not related to the German "Stein" meaning stone[1].
The most common term for housing among the Slavs was the word "house," which, although widely used, proved insufficient to convey the variety of residential structures. For this reason, other words developed in Pto-Slavic that referred to specific types of structures. An important element of the house was the stove, which separated residential homes from other structures. These houses were equipped with a table, benches, shelves and beds set on the ground, which formed the basic interior design.
The word "house" probably derives from the Proto-Slavic root ""domъ" and was defined as "a room where a person lives with his family, domus, domicilium", but also "everything in the house, family, property, possessions", or even "family, generation", but also "family sites, homeland"[2]. For us, it further means also "dwelling," "farm" or "family." Its root "house" is common to many Slavic languages (e.g. Czech "dům," Russian "дом," Slovak "house"). In a broader context, "home" also refers to a place that provides shelter and security, which is one of the basic human needs.
If home is also a foundation
The word "foundation" has its roots in Latin, where "fundamentum" meant "base" or "foundation," "foundation," which has its roots in the verb "fundō," meaning "to lay a foundation" or "to put on." Through Old French ("fondement"), the word found its way into Polish. There is a connection between the word "foundation" and the concept of financing. The connection lies in their common Latin root. The verb "fundō" is the source of both "foundation" and the modern English word "fund," Polish for "fund," which refers to the provision of financial resources for a specific purpose. The etymological connection emphasizes the idea of establishing a base or foundation, whether in a physical sense (as in the case of a structure) or in a financial sense (as in the case of project financing). A foundation, both literally and metaphorically, refers to something that provides a solid base on which to build - whether buildings, ideas or value systems.
Stone foundation
The etymology of the word "stone" comes from the Proto-Slavic meaning "hard mineral object." In Polish, the word refers to various types of stones, both in a geological context and in jewelry and medical applications. Proto-Slavic "kamy" is related to the Proto-Slavic verb "kъmęti" or "kamętъ," which meant "something hard that can be thrown" or "struck." This is the origin of the meaning of "stone" as a hard material that can be used for building, defense or throwing.
The roots of the word "stone" can be traced to the Proto-Slavic "kama" and the reconstruction *okmien-, which evolved into various forms in the Slavic languages. We also find affinities with Lithuanian, Greek and ancient Indo-European languages, where the term "ashma" meant both stone and... heaven, the heavenly vault. The latter aspect underscores the ancient symbolic importance of stone in the culture as something permanent and unchanging, which could be associated with the solidity and stability of nature. Similar rearrangements of letters and sounds, as in Lithuanian "akmuo" and Greek "akmōn," show the evolution of the meaning, which in its original form referred to the sharpness and hardness of stone, which also explains the development of forms in other European languages, such as German "hamarr," "Hammer," which originally referred to stone tools[3].
The expression "cornerstone" does not refer to a lump of coal, as one might think, but comes from the Old French word "coal," meaning the corner or horn of a building. In ancient buildings, the cornerstone was the first stone laid in the foundation, especially in the corner, from which the erection of the structure began. The word derives from Proto-Slavic, or even from the Pto-Indo-European root "*ang-" or "*ank-", which meant "to bend," referring to the bending of a line of masonry at the corner of a building. As architecture developed, the cornerstone also acquired a symbolic meaning - as the first stone, often carefully hewn and inscribed, was laid during the ceremonial act of erection. Nowadays, the phrase is used primarily figuratively, denoting the foundation or basis of some idea, venture or organization, and the phrase "to lay a cornerstone" refers to the initiation of something important and lasting.
german brick
Brick, as a building material, has been known to mankind for thousands of years. The word "brick" comes from the Proto-Slavic "*cěgla," which in turn is a borrowing from the Germanic language. German "Ziegel" and English "brick" have similar roots. Bricks were used in construction as early as ancient times, a testament to their durability and effectiveness as a building material.
wall of silence
The word "wall" in Polish derives from the Proto-Slavic term stěna, which had the meaning of "wall," "wall" or "partition." Proto-Slavic stěna was a derivative of the word stěnъ, which could refer to something that is strong and solid, indicating the original meaning of "wall" as a permanent structural element of a building. Further down the line, the etymological origins of the word can be traced to the Indo-European root sten- or stendh- meaning "to stand," which may suggest the original meaning as something that stands, forming a barrier or boundary.
Over time, the word "wall" has undergone various phonetic and semantic changes in various Slavic languages. In Czech there is an equivalent stěna, and in Russian стена(stiena), both of which have retained similar meanings. In Polish, "wall" has become a term referring not only to an architectural structure, but also to abstract concepts, such as "wall of silence," which shows the evolution of the word from its original, physical meaning to a broader context in the language.
A journey through the etymology of Polish words related to construction reveals not only the linguistic roots, but also the deep cultural and historical connections that have shaped our speech. From simple wooden structures to stone foundations, words like "house," "stone" and "brick" take us back to a time when language was used not only to describe the world, but also to express fundamental values and ideas. In the next installments of this series, we will delve into the etymology of words related to everyday life, discovering how our linguistic heritage reflects social, technological and cultural developments.
Magdalena Milert
[1] Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language, Aleksander Brückner, Krakow Publishing Company, 1927.
[2] Tomasz, K. (2010). Dom and kuća in the language and tradition of Serbs and Montenegrins, "Linguistica Copernicana" 1 (3).
[3] Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language, Aleksander Brückner, Krakow Publishing Company, 1927.
