Culture originally comes from the Latin word cultura, meaning “agriculture”. So how does farming relate to all the ways, ideologies, expectations, and creations of a group of people?

Literally, cultura meant the cultivation of land: the tending and working of land to perpetuate its growth into something new. Figuratively, it evolved to mean the cultivation of people: the working of the mind, body, and spirit to perpetuate their growth into something new. The exercising of education to promote knowledge; the practice of talent to create art; the encouragement of curiosity, leading to invention and discovery.

In the same way that humans learned to work the land for their own benefit, they have learned to push themselves for the benefit of themselves and others. These, as well as the products and bi-products thereof, are what create a society’s culture.

Sometimes etymology can be a bit poetic.

As always, feel free to comment with words you’d like to see in coming weeks. Happy WordNerd Wednesday!