Etymology is a discipline that tries to uncover the historical changes of words. The way they were read, the way they were spelled, and the different meanings a particular word has represented. Over the course of history, words have evolved, just like Chinese characters of a thousand years ago, were very different to the ones used in the present day.
Why is this important?
Because if you read Shakespeare or Jon Donne, you might encounter obscure words that are not used anymore.
Yet, for an academic, the answer is curiosity about what led to the present form. If something is happening now, doesn't mean that in the near future it will stay the same. Scholars have the knack of asking why or how on anything they witness. This leads to further inquiries. For example to get "news" was called before "tidings," that would sound strange today.
This specialized online dictionary, can help you.
http://www.etymonline.com/
Why is this important?
Because if you read Shakespeare or Jon Donne, you might encounter obscure words that are not used anymore.
Yet, for an academic, the answer is curiosity about what led to the present form. If something is happening now, doesn't mean that in the near future it will stay the same. Scholars have the knack of asking why or how on anything they witness. This leads to further inquiries. For example to get "news" was called before "tidings," that would sound strange today.
This specialized online dictionary, can help you.
http://www.etymonline.com/
