Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going. A study of the English language 21 a dramatic history and astonishing creativity. One word can illustrate this idea of meaning in flux: "revolution." The word entered English in the 14th century from the Latin via French. "Revolution" means 22 ; that was how it was used. Most often "revolution" was applied to astronomy to describe a planet 23 in space.
The word carried no political meaning. "Revolution" did not 24 a political meaning in English until at least the 16th century. Its meaning—a circular movement—was still tied to its origin but had 25 into politics. It could now mean a turnabout in power. This is more complicated than you might think. In 1796, a 26 occurred and "revolution" had come to mean the rebellion or overthrow of tyrants (君主). So we had the American Revolution, which 27 George III out of the Colonies, and the French Revolution, which gave us the 28 of Louis XVI and the scene of a nation devouring itself. If you"re a Marxist you can recast that to mean one class 29 another. By the time "revolution" was developing into the word we know today—not just the overthrow of a tyrant but action 30 belief in a new principle not just a political act.