How is a word created? How does it become a generally accepted term by a population?

Question

How is a word created? How does it become a generally accepted term by a population?

In: Culture

Answer 1

Most English words started as Latin or Greek. They were spoken in Latin or Greek by English speakers until people 1) misspelled them more frequently (both on purpose and accidentally) and the misspelling became a more common English word, or 2) purposely added the Latin or Greek word to another part of another word to create a brand new word, or 3) existed unchanged until today, still to be spoken by English speakers.

Examples of each of those:

1) The Latin word *pictura* was eventually changed to the English word *picture*.

2) The Latin words *corna* (which means *horn*) and *copia* (which means *plenty*) were combined to make the English word *cornucopia*.

3) The Latin words *villa* and *aqua* meaning *house* and *water* still mean the same things today.