Ogden Evening Standard | 1911-01-28 | Page 8 | Spark First Was a Sound

ou SPARK FIRST WAS A SOUND Origin of Tho Word Tracod to the Aryan Root "Sparg," a Crackling Noise. When electrically charged wires aro brought near each othor wo see what wo call a "spark." Wo see a spark from falling meteors, from the firefly, from tho Btruck metal and from tho burning brand What appeals to the eye wo call tho "hpark," but originally It was whnt appealed to tho oar that gave us tho root of the word". It was not tho nppearance. but ' the sound that beennio a "spark." v Long before electricity received , careful human consideration or spark phenomena were classified our Aryan ancestors started the little root "sparg"on Its growth through the languages lan-guages of that original tonguo These Aryans, some eight or more thousand years before our era. knew what fire was and used It. They were acquainted acquaint-ed with burning wood and knew that It gavo out a crackling sound. When they spoke of that sound they usod the word "sparg." and It survived tho l ages and has become our "spark." I This "sparg'' grow Into the Teutonic base "sprak," from which has come numerous words that imply makingo crackling noise. In Anglo-Saxon It Is "spearca," meaning exactly what we mean by "spark." Our Danish brother has It in "spraga," signifying to crackle, and In Icelandic It is "spraka," with the samo meaning. The sound la always In the word, whether It accompanies ac-companies the "spark" or not.