👋🏼 History of the word Ciao!
The word Ciao is used as a form of greeting and goodbye all over the world, across 37 major languages. But how did this simple greeting come to become so popular and widespread?
A short history of the word Ciao!
Languages and history shadow each other. As people came in contact with the wider world and met new peoples, words were invented to make sense of this new reality.
The word Ciao is an interesting example: today it or a variation of it - tchau / chao - is used as a form of greeting and goodbye all over the world, across 37 major languages. But how did this simple greeting come to become so popular and widespread?
The story begins in Venice:
Originally founded by refugees from neighbouring cities who were escaping Hunnic and Germanic invasions in the 4th century AD, Venice is located on a clump of marshy islands in the lagoon. Venice had little material wealth or land. Being a city-state surrounded by stronger powers, Venice instead relied on its strategic position, a strong navy, and adroit foreign policy to survive and thrive.
During the middle ages, slaves were among the most lucrative of traded goods. Ideally situated to take advantage of the trade between Europe and Asia, the Venetians had a thriving slave trade right from the start when they began to sell Slavs and other Eastern European non-Christian slaves.
The word Slaves comes from Slavus - Latin for Slavic - since most slaves during this time were Slavic people from the Balkans and present-day Russia
Overtime, Venice came to dominate this trade in Europe and was home to huge slave markets and institutions that specialised in the 'furnishing' of slaves.
Slaves would address their masters as s-ciào vostro - literally meaning "I am your slave" or more colloquially, "I am your servant". By the 12th century, this term lost its servile connotation, was shortened to Ciao and became the standard form of greeting and goodbye in Venice.
During this time, Venice came to become the dominant trading power between Asia and Europe, it began to accumulate great wealth. With Venetian families vying with each other to build the grandest palaces and to support the work of the greatest and most talented artists. By 13th century AD, Venice was the richest city in Europe - it's language, art and customs were emulated by nobles in the courts of Europe and the wider Mediterranean who sought to be current with the latest 'fashions' of their day.
Saying Ciao when meeting someone or wishing them farewell was one such cultural export - who's spread was helped by the omnipresent Venetian merchants and sailors.
While Venice is no longer a major trading power, Ciao! or a derivation of it is still commonly used in Greek, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, French, English, and dozens of other major languages.
Ciao!