The origin of streets: why the street was called a street

Where does the name of this word come from? How for the first time "street" appeared in Russian? The answer is hidden in the etymology. It remains only to find out why the street was so called. We will deal with this issue.

What is a street

The explanatory dictionary defines the street as a passage between two buildings. It can be either a carriageway or a pedestrian.

Street - this is what is between the houses occupied by the space. If there are no buildings nearby, then it is determined by the presence of static objects located at a limited distance from each other.

These sites can be created both in large and small towns, and in villages, towns, farms.

The street in a simple household designation is what is outside the buildings.

They come in several forms. In the city, it is necessary to distinguish:

• The main streets;

• A highway of local importance, as well as district;

• Residential;

• Intra- and quarterly;

• Pedestrian for people;

• Tramway for rail transport;

• Dead ends that end with a wall or a building fence;

• Bicycles - they are allowed to travel by bicycle.

In the village, as a rule, there are no such units. The street can be: main, pedestrian or travel. In small villages there is one street.

But all this concerns direct application of a hard coating. And where did the word itself come from, who suggested introducing it into the lexicon?

Origin of the word

Why was the street called the street? Words with a single root became "science" and "lane". The most banal and simple explanation can be formed when a person starts to take them apart. Most people still believe that the street is so called, because it is located literally "at the face" of houses. And such a version can exist, because it partially reflects the location. But it's wrong.

What did the word mean before?

The street originated in ancient times. And then the intervals between the houses were called almost the same.

Why was the street called the street? The roots of this word are not Russian, they are Old Slavic. "Ula" is a ditch or a passage, an open space. The ancestors of modern people called this word a place where nothing grew, there were no houses. It was a vacant lot.

The peoples in the Indo-European linguistic plane had its one- root word. In Greece, the cavity was called aulos. In the Westphalian language, when they pointed to a meadow, they said aul. Now it becomes more clear why the street was called a street.

Outwardly, the street can change depending on the growth of the city, changes in it. It can be built up or parked in that place.

Types of streets

There are different types of streets. The space between houses is called differently, depending on the width, length, purposes for which it serves:

• The street, surrounded on two sides by green plantations, is called an alley, often created in parks;

• The boulevard is called a spacious territory with benches, trees and, possibly, even alleys;

• The road is intended for transport;

• A ring is called that street, which has the corresponding form;

• The highway is a busy road;

• Lane is the distance between large streets;

• Embankment - a section between houses and a pond;

• The avenue goes straight, very wide.

Usually each street has its own name for greater simplicity in recognition. Names can persist for a long time and apply to pre-revolutionary life in Russia.

Why are the streets so called

There is a whole science that studies old names, the origin of streets. Toponymy is called.

Basic ideas for street names:

• Names of political leaders;

• Names of parks;

• The names of trees that are planted near;

• Monuments or churches that are on the street;

• The name of an outstanding scientist, artist, artist, writer, poet, who lived there;

• Indication of the geographical position.

Why can not you call a street famous person? Some people claim that calling it private names is a bad omen. Others say that then the name itself begins to fade, it is repeated many times, and not always in a positive way. The memory of a man is erased. Remains the daily perception of the place.

After one political regime is overthrown, the streets can be renamed, as the ideologists of the former party cause irritation. In addition, old names are forgotten. Contemporaries do not know, in honor of whom used to be called this or that section of the city.

Two names of one street

In many cities there are two names. Local residents call one name, and the official authorities on their lists approved another.

Recently, there is a noticeable tendency to rename the streets, returning to them their legal names associated with a long history.

For example, visiting tourists wonder why the streets of Kursk have two names. The thing is that the city authorities have long ago decided to return former names. They even set up a special commission, which was to look for ancient names.

Nevertheless, it turned out that it is not so easy to overcome bureaucratic procedures. Officially all the names remain the same as they were. The process is extremely slow. They still understand why the street was named such a street, and the other was renamed so. Every year more and more people start to get confused, creating confusion.

Historians studying the emergence and development of cities, express hopes that the past names can be returned soon.