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Do you know stollen? It’s a special Christmas cake from Germany. It has nuts and dried fruit inside, and it’s very sweet.
In my family, we eat a slice of stollen every day until Christmas. Last year, while we were eating stollen, I had a question: Where does the word “stollen” come from?
I was so curious that I left the table and went to my room to study this. I found some very interesting things!
First, “stollen” is a German word. But it comes from a very old word “STEL.” This old word meant “to put something in place” or “to stand.”
This old word “STEL” is like a grandfather to many English words we use today! Here are some examples:
・”Install”: When you put new software on your computer, you “install” it. You are putting it in place.
・”Stole”: This is the special scarf people wear at graduation ceremonies. Long ago, it just meant “clothes to put on.”
・”Stalker”: A stalker is someone who follows another person by taking very stiff, careful steps – like they are “placing” each foot very carefully, one after another. It’s like they are “standing” and moving forward in a very strange way. (Of course, stalking is wrong and dangerous behavior!)
・”Still”: When something is not moving, it is “still.” Think about a “still life” painting – the fruits and flowers in it are standing very quietly, not moving at all.
・”Still” :When something is “still” happening, it means it “stands” or “remains” in the same state. For example, if you say “I still love ice cream,” it means your love for ice cream “stands” or “remains” just like before – it hasn’t changed. It’s like the feeling is “standing” in the same place through time, “without moving”.
It was so much fun to learn about words while eating something delicious!
I hope you enjoyed learning these new things about English words. Sometimes one small question can lead to many interesting discoveries!
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