07/11/2025
If you are anything like me, and God help you if you are, the increasing appearance of American words and phrases in common use in the UK is annoying, to say the least.
Words like “snuck” instead of sneaked, and “dove” instead of dived do my head in.
But there are other words in common use in North America that we tend to shy away from, such as (the) Fall when talking about the season, Autumn, we are currently in.
Personally, I find Fall useful when it comes to changing the clocks, using “Spring forward, Fall back” as a useful reminder as to whether to advance clocks an hour or move them back.
But here’s the thing, Fall isn’t an American invention, it comes from ancient English that made its way across the Atlantic, and which we have long since abandoned.
Both Spring and Fall come from a time when language was simpler and reflected what we experienced.
Spring is derived from “spring of the leaves” and Fall from “fall of the leaves”. Both observing the beauty of nature and, I think, encouraging us to notice and appreciate the change in the environment around us.
Of course, we all know what Autumn means, but Fall (of the leaves) tells us so much more and can encourage us to appreciate the world in front of us.
