The planets of our solar system have grand names drawn from Greek and Roman mythology. Even their moons have appellations from Shakespeare or other literary or mythological sources, yet the name of our planet is derived from the word for ground or soil. Our ancestors knew the earth beneath their feet long before they realized that the Earth was suspended in space, and this is reflected in our languages. This article from Dennis Mammana is an interesting read on the subject.
Would we respect the Earth more if she had a “proper name” or is the name of Earth far more precious than that of ancient gods? If you have a name for Earth in a language near and dear to you, please share it in the comments section and be sure to let us know the name of the language as well.
Happy Earth Day and thanks, as always, for reading!
kat