Greetings all!
Do you love this “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”? This is how English poet John Keats referred to autumn. Hot days give way to cooler weather, leaves change color and fall, and there is a hint of melancholy in the air and in our mood.
As I was enjoying looking at the pictures of autumn
around the world, I could not help but research a couple of interesting tidbits
about the season!
Why do leaves change color? Reddish or yellow is actually the natural pigmentation in leaves but during the spring and summer when there is more sunlight, leaves get overpowered with chlorophyll which turns them green. So as days grow shorter, there is less sunlight and less chlorophyll. Also strong red or purple color is actually sugar content from sap trapped in the leaves.
Were you ever curious why in some parts of the world this season is called fall and in others autumn? Read on!
According to Merriam-Webster, “Autumn and fall are used interchangeably as words for the season between summer and winter. Both are used in American and British English, but fall occurs more often in American English. Autumn is considered the more formal name for the season.”
Did you know that before the 1300s, this season was
referred to harvest, which was
probably rather confusing! Then the Latin word autumnus came into the English language, and poets sang praises to "the fall of the
leaves" - later shortened to fall.
Both autumn and fall were born in Britain and as
the British Empire expanded, the English Language was traveling to the
far-flung places. In my travel-obsessed mind, I have the image of a language
packing a carry-on with all the words and grammar rules and embarking on an
adventure!
Fast
forward to the American Revolutionary War with the United States gaining independence
from Great Britain – and the resulting divergence of some of the language. Isn’t
it fascinating?!
Regardless
of whether you call this season autumn
or fall (or something less!), it is a
beautiful time of the year.
Image from https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-ojyaq
Rakotzbrücke Devil’s Bridge, Germany (image from SmarTours)
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia (image from SmarTours)
Lapland, Finland (image from SmarTours)
Scottish
Highlands, United Kingdom (image from SmarTours)
Sources:
I totally agree! Just fantastic season! Love it!
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