Etymology is the study of the origin, history, and changing meanings of words. Etymologists require a love of words, education, and training in linguistics or language studies. Job duties vary, but most work indoors in an office setting with minimal physical demands.
The word etymology dates from the 14th century in France and is derived from a Greek term meaning “true sense”. The word itself is an appropriate description for the field that shows the origin, history, and changing meanings of the words. A person who has ever wondered where words come from or how and why they have changed over the years might consider training as an etymologist.
One of the main requirements of etymologists is a love of words and a desire for truth. Tales about the origins of words abound, and sometimes those tales become true, but it’s part of the job to extract fact from fiction, even at the risk of discrediting a widely held story. Etymologists must be prepared to delve into the world’s jumble of languages in order to discern the language or languages of origin of the word, as well as the time and place where the word first appeared.
Working as an etymologist starts with education and training. A degree in linguistics, philology, language studies or another field directly related to language is preferred, although those with a similar passion can also work as educators, writers or editors and gain the necessary training and credentials for these fields. A postgraduate degree is not required, but is preferred by most employers. Those exploring the field can expect between four and eight years of schooling to find a job.
There is no standard job description and every job is different. An etymologist working for a university might be trying to discover the roots of obscure words in an ancient manuscript, while someone employed by a private company might be working with software developers to create programming languages that resemble human speech patterns. Etymologist duties vary as widely as the job description, with each job requiring etymologists to work in a slightly different capacity.
The job is not physically demanding. Most etymologists work indoors in an office setting. It is generally possible to maintain business hours. Interaction with other people ranges from virtually non-existent to almost constant, depending on the exact job description. An etymologist who works as a linguistics professor will have more social interaction than someone who deciphers a word or phrase.
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