Reconciliation

In Canada, September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day), a statutory federal holiday established to recognize the legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system.
 
Surprisingly, perhaps, the word reconciliation has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root kele, meaning to shout. This seems odd. However, the etymology tells us that the ancient connotation of such shouting is in the context of ‘a calling together’; for example, “Hey people! We need to get together and talk about this…”
 
PIE kele (to shout, to call) + the Latin prefix com (together, together with) = Latin concilium (a meeting, a gathering of people) and conciliare (to bring together, to unite in feeling, to make friendly).
 
The verb ‘to reconcile’ (to restore in union and friendship after estrangement or variance) came to English in the mid-14th century from 12th century Old French reconcilier and Latin reconciliare (to bring together again; to regain; to win over again).
 
The noun reconciliation (renewal of friendship after disagreement; action of reaching accord with an adversary or one estranged) is also from the mid-14th century.
 
The verb ‘to reconcile’ is also the source of the verb ‘to conciliate’ (to overcome distrust or hostility) which came to English in the 1540s.
 
Image: https://www.concordia.ca/events/orange-shirt-day.html
 
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation / University of Manitoba
http://www.trc.ca/about-us/trc-findings.html
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