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#43636 10/04/01 10:39 AM
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wsieber Offline OP
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Dear Experts,
Starting from the fact that German has only one word, Entwicklung, for the two english terms, evolution and development, I wonder if these two words might possibly have a common root. The dictionaries trace back evolution to latin evolvere ("roll out"), but development only as far as Old French (en-)volopper. But you notice that both contain the root "- vol- " (also present e.g. in volute). This has me speculate that both words originate from the unrolling .. of a script roll??


#43637 10/04/01 02:31 PM
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Regardless Wsieber, I think that that is a neat reconstruction.


#43638 10/05/01 04:16 AM
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The American Heritage Dictionary speculates (http://www.bartleby.com/61/76/D0177600.html ) on a possible Celtic origin for voloper:

ETYMOLOGY: French développer, from Old French desveloper : des-, dis- + voloper, to wrap (possibly of Celtic origin).




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