Word of the Week: Autumn

After a wild couple of weeks, things are finally returning to normal at GLN. Meanwhile, as we were searching for a new space, it seems autumn has finally arrived in Washington. To mark a return to normal operations and to mark the arrival of fall, our word of the week is “Autumn.”

Current uses and translations of “Autumn” usually rely on seasonal changes in the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere. Most Germanic translations of “Autumn” derive from connections between the time of year and agricultural harvest, such as “Herbst” in German. Other translations of “Autumn” may derive from changing weather, falling leaves, or the closing of the year. In our ever-interconnected world, cultures based outside of temperate regions or in the southern hemisphere often also have words for “Autumn,” usually denoting the same span of time as the season in the northern hemisphere. Here are just a few translations of Autumn from around the world:

German: Herbst
French: L’automne
Spanish: Otoño
Mandarin: 秋季 (Qiūjì)
Hindi: पतझड़ (patajhad)
Russian: осень (osen’)
Japanese: 秋 (Aki)
Arabic: الخريف (alkharif)

Whether your Autumn is hot or cold, the time to harvest or to sow, the time of falling leaves or blooming flowers, it is something we can celebrate and enjoy all around the world.

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