History_of_the_English_Language

H I S T O R Y O F T H E E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E A LIFE OF COURAGE What it means to apart of the world’s bravest. By Allie Rapp “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." -Atticus Finch To Kill a Mockingbird Editor’s note Courage, bravery when said aloud are words that sound dignified. They carry extra meanings. To be called courageous is an honor. To be called brave is a privilege it is something to achieve and to strive for. When given the opportunity to choose a word to study over these past few weeks, I jumped at the words courage and bravery. To me, these words mean so much more than myself. Being able to dive deep into the history and the meaning of the word was something I could boast about, something to be proud of. They’re things I look for in a person. I look up to people who exemplify courage and bravery. It only made perfect sense to choose these two words to pick apart and truly understand on more than just a basic level. “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'” Eleanor Roosevelt “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill. “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Nelson Mandela “He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy.” Socrates “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything'” Vincent Van Gogh “Courage means accepting pain, fear or difficulty and living with it. Pushing through that hardship to thrive and grow. To do what is right in the face of adversity.” Lauren Rapp Courage Three respected sources agree closely on the definition of courage. Merriam- Webster’s Dictionary describes courage as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty“ The American Cambridge Online Dictionary gives a similar meaning, “the ability to control fear and to be willing to deal with something that is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant” While Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, defines courage as “the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.” However, the current dictionary definitions of courage are inadequate because they only include references to one type of courage. Courage is a double meaning in of itself. There is physical courage, actively doing something difficult, and moral courage, examples not just found in the soldiers who serve three tours in Iraq or in the policemen who risk their lives for the greater good, Courage is a state of mind that enables a person to overcome fear, pain, danger, or difficulty. Even though they differ, both aspects of courage involve stepping out of the comfort zone and taking risks. During a study conducted on April 21, 2013, when asked who the most courageous person they knew was, 72% of those mentioned were family members of the participant. Of those responses, 62% were parents, and more specifically 50% were their mothers. The way these individuals carry themselves during times of struggle was a common theme to their justifications. “If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened.” George S. Patton According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word courage was first used in 1300 by Archelaus written as corage, meaning the heart as the feeling, thought, etc,; spirit, mind, disposition, , nature. It comes from Old French and Latin. The root, cor, meaning heart, helps to explain the definition given. The first time modern spelling appeared was in 1500. Bravery As stated in the Oxford English Dictionary, bravery first comes from 1540’s French spelled as braverie, meaning the action of braving and the Italian cognate braveria, coming from the Italian word bravare. The modern spelling came soon after in 1548. It is defined as “the action of braving or acting the bravo; daring, defiance, boasting, swaggering; bravado, an act of bravado, in defiance, in display of courage or daring, as a brag. Merriam-Webster defines brave as having or showing courage. The Cambridge Online Dictionary offers a definition of a similar meaning. They define bravery as showing no fear of dangerous or difficult things. In the previous referenced study conducted on April 21, 2013, participants were Armed service men patrol at dusk. asked who the most brave person they knew was. 54% mentioned someone with previous, or current, military service or background. If one were to only use the dictionary definitions of bravery, those who serve in our nation’s military would absolutely be considered brave and courageous. The United States Navy’s Sailor’s Creed is an example of their dedication to with hold the ideals of courage. It states, “I am a United States Sailor. I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me. I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world. I proudly serve my country's Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment. I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all” .” A United States Marines Corps ad campaign, employing courage to inspire new recruits. Being Brave.. Brave are the soldiers who leave their homelands knowing that they may die by their enemy’s hands. Brave are the firemen who enter a burning home to rescue someone who might be dying alone. Brave are the children who stand up to a bully to defend a friend against words of an enemy. Brave is the parent who is cruel to be kind to their young child so that they grow up disciplined and unwild. Brave are the righteous who uphold the truth and defend her against all lies and untruth. Brave is doing what is always right even though it may be unpopular. Brave is doing the things that scare and frighten us but know we must do. Brave is not being a slave to fear. And to overcome any fear rather than be overcome by it, so that we can do what we must do. - Ritchie Fan Bravery vs Courage Bravery is the ability to confront pain, danger or difficulty without feeling the fear. It is strength in a person that seems bigger than the situation, whether they more powerful or not than what they’re up against. Courage is the ability to take an immense difficulty, pain, or danger even though they’re afraid. It is a state of mind that in the end makes the fear and struggle worth it. Unlike bravery, a person moved by courage may feel helpless in the face of danger, pain or difficulty. The whole meaning of courage is not the confidence of overcoming a task, but the decision to fight through it, even though victory is not certain. Editor’s note. Looking Forward: The Future of Courage and Bravery. I believe in the good of people. I believe that the world wants to believe in the good of people too. It is this editor’s prediction that words courage and bravery have solidified a place in our future as they are today. The world will keep striving to achieve the badge of honor that accompany these two words. These words will continue to be what they are today, a guide of how to live our lives.