Three weeks ago, the Northern Hemisphere welcomed both Autumn and Fall. Both words refer, in general, to the more moderate season that follows the heat of the summer and preceeds the cold of winter. Although the terminology is used interchangeably now, such has not always been the case. There was a difference in their original meanings.
“Fall” is about leaves descending from trees. The term originated in the 1600s as a shorter way to say “the fall of the leaves,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. This is probably the more straightforward word of the two because it refers to changing colors of deciduous trees and their eventual shedding of leaves.
“Autumn” has a longer history. This term was first used in the 1300s and has its roots in the Latin word “autumnus”. It replaced the word harvest to describe the time between summer and winter because, according to Merriam-Webster, the latter word could be confusing because it referred to both the time of year crops were typically harvested and the actual task of harvesting crops.
Aside from being interesting trivia, BVA has no stake in the matter and the point is moot, with a single exception. The upcoming BVA Bulletin, the final issue of the calendar year, will continue the tradition as the Autumn issue!
