“Keep up to date” means to stay informed about a situation. It originated from the term “post” which referred to sharing information in public forums. The term has evolved with the advent of the internet and email, allowing people to stay informed even faster. Its relation to the post office and the act of sending mail also contributed to its meaning.
“Keep up to date” is an idiomatic English expression that implies that one person will keep another updated with information about a particular situation. The phrase is most commonly used as “keep me posted” or “keep me posted”. The first expression refers to a continuous state of a news exchange. This last sentence is usually used as a directive for someone of lower status, such as an employee, to keep the issuer informed of future changes. The expression “I’ll keep you updated” is used as a promise to another to share the news as soon as it happens.
The term “post,” however used, refers to shared information. It could have several origins. For example, the earliest Old English use denoting a long wooden stick was borrowed from the Latin term “postis” with the same meaning. Gradually a “post” began to refer to both the post on which the sign was erected and the sign itself. The transitive verb “to post” developed from the medium by which a sign or “poster” was displayed.
Hence, the Middle English usage of the term meaning to display news or names in a public forum was derived. The “posting of publications”, the public denunciation of someone as “posted” and “posted” as signs of trespassing occurred during this period and still refer to the public sharing of news. The term has even continued to evolve and has been re-adopted since the advent of the Internet, as in “posting a reply”, a “post” or even a “repost” of a message. In fact, the Internet and email have allowed people to “catch up” and abreast of news and information at an even faster rate than with printed posts.
The term “keep up to date” and its relation to a post or post office could be another source of its meaning. A combination of Old French “poste” and Old Italian “posta” meaning “a relay station for horses, with Vulgar Latin “posta” meaning “a station” clearly refers to the carriage of mail or information along a certain path. From the moment the news was sent by post or “mail”, a transitive verb developed in the act of sending or sending a letter. This verb has gradually morphed from sealing an envelope and handing it to the postman to mean “keep up to date” or be informed of the latest news.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
