Городюк А. Б.

науковий керівник: Божеску М. Г.

Буковинська державна фінансова академія

The etymology of different names of currency

There are 193 member states in the world, each of them has its own history, the characteristic features that distinguish it from other countries. One such characteristic features is the currency of the country. Modern types of currency are often common for different countries, due to similar conditions of development, historical events, proximity areas. Considering the etymology of the names of currencies around the world one can see some common features. To analyze the features of the names of currencies one should consider the main currencies that circulate in the world.

The most common currency in the world is the dollar. The history of the dollar is a story involving many countries in different continents. The word dollar is much older than the American unit of currency. It is an Anglicised form of "thaler", (pronounced taler , with a long "a"), the name given to coins first minted in 1519 from locally mined silver in Joachimsthal in Bohemia. (Today the town of Joachimsthal lies within the borders of the Czech republic and its Czech name is Jáchymov). Thaler is a shortened form of the term by which the coin was originally known - Joachimsthaler. Those coins, particularly the Spanish peso or dollar circulated widely in Britain's North American colonies because of a shortage of official British coins. That is why, after the United States gained its independence the new nation chose "dollar" as the name of its currency instead of keeping the pound.

Later on the English version of the name (dollar) was also applied to similar coins, not only ones minted in central Europe but also the Spanish peso and the Portuguese eight-real piece. Both these large silver coins were practically identical in weight and fineness.

Another wellknown currency is franc - originally a French coin but now the monetary unit of a number of countries, notably Switzerland, most French and former Belgian overseas territories, and some African states; at one time it was also the currency of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The name was first applied to a gold coin minted by King John II of France in 1360, which bore on one face the Latin legend Johannes Dei gratia Francorum rex ("John, by the grace of God, king of the Franks"). Because this coin also carried the figure of the king on horseback, it was known as the franc a cheval to distinguish it from another coin of the same value later issued by Charles V of France. This latter coin was called the franc a pied because it showed the monarch on foot standing under a canopy. During the 17th century the minting of gold francs ceased, but the name was freely applied by the French public to the new unit of exchange-the livre tournois , a gold coin subdivided into 20 sols. In 1795, to symbolize the political changes that followed the French Revolution , the republican government introduced a new franc currency. The first coin was a five-franc silver piece; gold coins worth 20 francs (napoleons) were coined in quantity later. The livre tournois, which was exchangeable into the new currency at a rate of 81 livres to 80 francs, continued to circulate in France until 1834.

Yuan - currency KNR.Yuan word literally means "round object" or "round coin". So called round silver coins of the Qing Dynasty. Venezuela bolivar currency and, earlier, Uruguay. Named after the fighter for the independence of Latin America, Simon Bolivar. British guinea gold coin, which began in 1663 with the gold that is mined in African colony of Guinea (Guinea), hence the name coin. Guilder name German and Dutch coins and currency of the modern Netherlands. Netherlands gulden word literally means gold. Drachma coins name in Greece since ancient times, as well as the name of the currency of modern Greece. Comes from the Greek word dram - and went down to a handful of times, when money in Greece served metal rods - Obol, a handful of which 6 pieces and the piece was. ECU old French gold coin. Name of coins comes from the French word ecu - shield. Escudo name of Spanish and Portuguese gold coins, as well as the modern currency of Portugal and other countries. The name comes from the Spanish word escudo - shield. Kreytser type name of German and Austrian coins minted from the XIII century. The name comes from the German word kreuz - cross the main motive of the first issue of the image of the coin. Luyidor French gold coin, the name came from a representation on the obverse the portrait of King Louis (Louis) XIII. In the French Louis d'or, literally - Gold Louis. Napoleondor (the same) whith the portrait of Napoleonon the obverse.

The history of the currency name of Ukraine also has its own characteristic. In different historical periods of the word “Hryvnia” meant copper coins in two and a half penny, later - three, and finally called “hryvenyk” in the nation received a silver coin worth ten cents (kept this tradition is known in Soviet times).Along with the name "hryvenyk" people kept borrowed from the Polish name "zloty", which came on a silver coin of fifteen cents. Modern etymologist deduce the origin of the name "Hryvnia" from the Old Slavonic "Hryvnia" - necklace, bracelet. Indeed, in the home decoration there was Kievan Rus “neck hryvnia” - gold, adorned with precious stone ring, which was worn on the neck. "Hryvnia" sometimes referred to as metal amulets (medallions), also were worn on the neck (eg, so-called amulets-coils). The word is probably formed from ancient Slavic root “hryva” – “neck” which remained in the Ukrainian language only to determine the appropriate body parts of some animals. According etymologist, primary meaning of "hryvnia" - "neck decoration - added as a value of currency because of making jewelry with coins. This custom was prevalent in Ukraine and actually survived to this day.

Therefore reviewing the above information to draw conclusions about the peculiarities of the names of currencies worldwide. Indeed the origin of the names of currencies in different countries have common features. Most currency name was connected with a person who had a significant impact in this historical time, when the currency was created. Another prominent feature of the choice of name was the place where the currency is circulated. The names of the other currencies depended on the metal alloy, image on the them, or fact that this currency was used in the home etc.

Literature:

1. Glossary of Economics Terms / Economics Dictionary

2. Online etymology dictionary [http://www.etymonline.com]

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

4. Галицький сайт. Імена монет. [http://galsite.at.ua/publ/1-1-0-76]