Answer
Did you ever wonder why there is a silent ‘w’ in the word answer?
The word answer has its origins in Proto-Indo-European (PIE) swer (to speak, talk, say) and Proto-Germanic swerjanan (the source of Old Saxon swerian, Old Norse sverja, Danish sverge, Middle Dutch swaren, Old High German swerien, and others). From these sources comes Old English swerian (to take an oath), Old English swaru (affirmation), and later the English word swear. Later, in the early 15th century, the word swear also came to mean ‘bad language’, particularly the use of religious terms as ‘swear words’.
You will have noticed that PIE swer forms the last four letters of the word answer. The ancient PIE word, including the silent ‘w’, is still with us.
The word answer, related to the word swear, comes from Old English andswaru (the reply to a question, a response) from the Old English prefix and- (against; from the PIE root ant meaning front, forehead, in front of, before) + swaru. Originally andswaru likely meant a sworn statement answering to a charge (“Do you swear that you didn’t steal your neighbour’s chicken? What is your andswaru?”).
Later, the word answer, meaning the solution to a problem, is from around 1300.
Answer is a Germanic word. The equivalent English word from Latin is response; that is, Latin re- (back) + spondere (to pledge; spondere is also the root of spouse and responsibility) = respondere (“Do you pledge to take this person to be your spouse? What is your response?”).
Answers and responses both imply that the speaker is ‘swearing’ to tell the truth.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
The word answer has its origins in Proto-Indo-European (PIE) swer (to speak, talk, say) and Proto-Germanic swerjanan (the source of Old Saxon swerian, Old Norse sverja, Danish sverge, Middle Dutch swaren, Old High German swerien, and others). From these sources comes Old English swerian (to take an oath), Old English swaru (affirmation), and later the English word swear. Later, in the early 15th century, the word swear also came to mean ‘bad language’, particularly the use of religious terms as ‘swear words’.
You will have noticed that PIE swer forms the last four letters of the word answer. The ancient PIE word, including the silent ‘w’, is still with us.
The word answer, related to the word swear, comes from Old English andswaru (the reply to a question, a response) from the Old English prefix and- (against; from the PIE root ant meaning front, forehead, in front of, before) + swaru. Originally andswaru likely meant a sworn statement answering to a charge (“Do you swear that you didn’t steal your neighbour’s chicken? What is your andswaru?”).
Later, the word answer, meaning the solution to a problem, is from around 1300.
Answer is a Germanic word. The equivalent English word from Latin is response; that is, Latin re- (back) + spondere (to pledge; spondere is also the root of spouse and responsibility) = respondere (“Do you pledge to take this person to be your spouse? What is your response?”).
Answers and responses both imply that the speaker is ‘swearing’ to tell the truth.
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
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