Book
The word book has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root bhago (beech tree). PIE bhago is the source of Latin fagus, the scientific name for the botanical genus of beech trees.
From PIE bhago evolved Proto-Germanic bokiz (beech) and modern German buche (beech) and buchstaben (a beech stick). Beech wood, because of its softness and ease of cutting, was most often used as a medium for the use of runes (i.e., any of several alphabets used by Germanic peoples from about the 3rd to the 13th centuries) which were carved into the wood. Perhaps it is not surprising that German buch (book) comes from buche (beech tree).
Similarly, the French word for book (livre) comes from Latin librum (the inner bark of trees) and originally from PIE lubh-ro (leaf, rind) and PIE leub(h) (to strip, to peel). The word library also comes from these sources.
The Old English word boc (book), from Proto-Germanic bokiz, originally meant any written document. Later, the word book came to mean a written work of many pages fastened together and bound.
Today, books are made from paper which of course comes from trees. From bokiz to buch to boc to book—a book literally and figuratively comes from trees.
Perhaps it is not surprising to consider the image of the tree has been used as a symbol of knowledge although this image might have to change if more and more people begin to get their knowledge from YouTube!
Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
From PIE bhago evolved Proto-Germanic bokiz (beech) and modern German buche (beech) and buchstaben (a beech stick). Beech wood, because of its softness and ease of cutting, was most often used as a medium for the use of runes (i.e., any of several alphabets used by Germanic peoples from about the 3rd to the 13th centuries) which were carved into the wood. Perhaps it is not surprising that German buch (book) comes from buche (beech tree).
Similarly, the French word for book (livre) comes from Latin librum (the inner bark of trees) and originally from PIE lubh-ro (leaf, rind) and PIE leub(h) (to strip, to peel). The word library also comes from these sources.
The Old English word boc (book), from Proto-Germanic bokiz, originally meant any written document. Later, the word book came to mean a written work of many pages fastened together and bound.
Today, books are made from paper which of course comes from trees. From bokiz to buch to boc to book—a book literally and figuratively comes from trees.
Perhaps it is not surprising to consider the image of the tree has been used as a symbol of knowledge although this image might have to change if more and more people begin to get their knowledge from YouTube!
Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
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