3 Secrets Behind Common Household Objects

The names of everyday household items often have fascinating and peculiar origin stories that become obscured over time, gradually morphing into the common clichés we use without a second thought. Many of these names hold rich historical and linguistic tales, reflecting the evolution of language and culture.

Take the word "curtain," for example. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word "cortina," which means "enclosure" or "court." Originally, "curtain" referred to a piece of fabric that enclosed or surrounded an area, much like the way a courtyard is an enclosed space within a building or complex. Over time, the word's meaning narrowed to specifically denote a piece of fabric used to cover windows or divide spaces, but its connection to the concept of an enclosed area remains embedded in its etymology.

Another intriguing example is "cabinet." This word derives from the Old French "cabine," meaning a small room or hut, and the diminutive suffix "-ette," indicating something smaller or lesser. So, "cabinet" essentially means a "little cabin." In the past, a cabinet was a small, private room where valuable items were stored. Today, we use "cabinet" to refer to a piece of furniture with shelves and drawers for storage, but the idea of a small, secure place for keeping important things is still inherent in the term.

This video looks at 3 examples of stories behind objects that have been lost to mindlessness.

[malte]

stove is also cognate with german Stube (f.) meaning living room in some dialects which is usually the place where the main heating place was

[Riolu]

"Igt bro ima go down to the gym" : "you don't got one at home?"

[timschulze]

In German an indoor cat is called a Stubentiger “stove tiger” 🐯

[dianagonzalez]

English is my second language and I always mix up cabin and cabinet. Thank you for the explanation

[SalmaSnyder]

In ancient iran, there were structures named "يخچال" which means ice pit where people used to store ice and snow from the winter and mountains in pit for the summer. However, this name carried on, so now we call fridges "ice pit"

[FreyasArts]

Something I just realised: the german word Stövchen is like a tiny version of the English stove. It's even got the suffix "-chen" which signals a diminutive form.
(Stövchen is that thing where you light a candle and set your tea pot onto it to keep the tea warm)

[marcbelisle]

My favorite one of these is “window.” Viking settlers in Britain had a small hole in a peaked roof for the smoke from the fireplace to escape called a vindeye. The North Atlantic wind “vind” blew across the hole and howled. The tiny hole was an “eye” like the eye of a needle. Over time the wind-eye got adopted into English as window and migrated from the roof to the side of the house and got bigger.

[Bruin_ffs]

When you were giving an example of the “ette” suffix my brain immediately went to “like a cigarette” 💀This is my sign to get help

[chigoziepascal]

Nigerians gotta be in the future, cuz those weights are already gyms to us..."im going to carry gym" 😂

[haydeetorres]

Sir, I really like your content especially in this age where stupidity is “up front”. Content like this is so soothing because it reminds me that everyone isn’t foolish… I respect 🫡 your work!

[thecrkkid]

Bro your a wizard. I really appreciate content like this thanks bruh

[DanaTheLateBloomingFruitLoop]

I never know what to expect from your videos by they always leave me entertained and a little more knowledgeable.

[PabloEmanuel]

I actually think it's so cute to think my dishes rest in their little cabin

[andoru]

Similarly, a jacket is a small jack, which was an elaborate garment of leather armor.

[jasonyones]

"Yo bro lets go to the stove"

[ZackRToler]

I wish this channel had longer format videos. Maybe just a compilation of the shorts

[presidentzeus]

Some places in western Norway actually uses "stove" for living room and "etestove" (eating room) for dining room. I would however say it a little differently and stpell it like "stue". Both "stove" and "stue" actually have two syllables.

And in Dutch, they probably kept the word for what the English called a stove - fornuis.

[jacktrabold]

bro is standing in front of the overlook hotel

[ragnkja]

One of the traditional outbuildings on Norwegian farms was called an eldstove, eldstue or eldhus (“eld” means “fire”). It was kind of like a scullery separate from the main farmhouse, with a big open hearth even after more enclosed hearths with chimneys had become typical in the main house.

[m.a.a.]

I love the little cardboard robot, he's a little goober