|
 March 8, 2013
 
Word of the Week--"freelance"
Definition--As a noun, someone who sells his or her services to employers without a long-term commitment or contract to any single employer. As a verb, to work as a freelance.
Discussion--Interestingly, freelance, a common term today for an independent businessperson, has its roots in the Medieval military. In Medieval times, mercenaries came to be referred to as a "free lance"--one who would lend himself and his weapon to any cause.
Etymology--freelance is a neologism coined by combining the terms free and lance. Like many such terms in English, its usage has changed over time from being two words, to a hyphenated term, and finally one word with a separate meaning unto itself.
Freelance is also the term used in Spanish, Italian, and Dutch. Fench, German, and other languages use native versions of free worker, independent worker, or self-employed person.
Foreign Translations German:
freiberuflich
Dutch:
freelance
French:
travailleur (-euse) indépendant(e) (m/f)
Italian:
freelance, autonomo
Spanish:
autónomo, por cuenta propia, freelance
More To Explore
|
Contact & About
|
||||
