North, east, west, south
<p><span word="North">North</span>, <span word="east">east</span>, <span word="west">west</span>, <span word="south">south</span></p><p>看过一个有趣的问题，问<span word="news">news</span>是不是由单词<span word="north">north</span>，<span word="east">east</span>，<span word="west">west</span>和<span word="south">south</span>的首字母组合而成？翻查辞源，虽然很遗憾这个猜测是错误的，但“塞翁失马”的一大收获是--原来“东、西、南、北”确有一番说头。</p><p><span word="East">East</span>的词根<span word="aus">aus</span>代表“初升的朝阳”，由此，我们可以在希腊语和古英语中找到“黎明女神”的相应表达：<span word="Aurora">Aurora</span>和<span word="Easter">Easter</span>，而古英语的<span word="Easter">Easter</span>后来又衍生了一个伟大的节日<span word="Christian">Christian</span> <span word="holiday">holiday</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span>（复活节）。 面对升起的太阳，它的右侧被称为<span word="south">south</span>（南），左侧被称为<span word="north">north</span>（北）。这里，顺便给大家提一个与<span word="south">south</span>有关的有趣表达<span word="southpaw">southpaw</span>，指“左手投球的运动员”，也可泛指“左撇子”。</p><p><span word="West">West</span>的词根<span word="wes">wes</span>代表“夜晚”，由此词根，我们得到单词<span word="vesper">vesper</span>（黄昏的）、<span word="vespers">vespers</span>（晚祷）。假若您见到词组<span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="West">West</span>，可以猜猜它一定不与“朝气”挂钩，表示“死亡”。</p>
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