This Incredible Map Shows How Language REALLY Spread Around The World

It’s easy to tell how similar some European languages are (who hasn’t mixed up grazie and gracias?), but have you ever stopped to think about how language spread across each country?

It turns out that it flows like wine from the bottle.

This fascinating map shows how the roots of languages spoken in Europe influences them today.

This map shows how language flows like wine from a bottle

By mapping each language’s spelling of the word ‘wine’, it’s simple to determine the root of the language. Roots shown on the map, created by the Reddit user Homesanto, include Greek, Arabic, Mongolian, Persian and Turkish.

One of the most important phrases to know in any language is how to order a drink, and this map will definitely help you to do so.

Many of the words for wine are remarkably similar, and it’s possible to see how many languages come from a common root.

The word for wine is remarkably similar country to country

Latin, for instance, influences almost all of Europe. Variations on the Latin word vinum include the Russian vino, French vin, German wein, Welsh gwin and of course English wine.

Other countries have been influenced by the Arabic language origin of srb, meaning ‘to drink’. These include Turkey’s sarap and Tunisia’s srab.

Budapest stands alone with bor, which developed from Middle Persian via Turkic.

You’ll never be stuck ordering a glass of wine again.
If you enjoyed this article, why not check out the great pieces in our Explore Your World Through Language campaign.

About the author

Alice Johnston

Food Editor

Alice is always planning her next meal. She studied English at the University of Bristol before getting her Master’s in newspaper journalism from City University London. She worked on Femail at Mail Online for 18 months writing about lifestyle and food and has also worked at Metro.co.uk, The Guardian, Mumsnet and The Sun. After starting at Culture Trip as a Social Content Producer writing travel and lifestyle stories, she was promoted to the role of Food Editor and now specialises in culinary culture, trends and social issues around food. When she’s not writing, eating or travelling, she can be found cooking overly elaborate dinners, reading cookbooks in bed or playing with her cat, Orlando. Her favourite foods include fishfinger sandwiches, burnt caramel panna cotta, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and oysters.