Friday, October 7, 2011

Clock and watch from Jacques

Dear Word Spy,

If I was making a language, I would call a clock a "big watch" or a watch a "little clock". That would be easier for some people.

Jacques



Dear Jacques,

Well, I guess you could start calling a clock a "big watch" and see if it catches on!

The word clock was first used for something that told the time with bells, because it comes from an old Celtic word for bell. I like clocks with bells that chime, although there aren't many left...

Watch comes about from when guards and people like that had to keep watching for a certain amount of time. The amount of time became known as a "watch" and then something that kept the time for you also became known as a "watch".

Oh! look at the time! Must go.

Yours ticking and tocking,

The Word Spy

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