1901: Right: Legal, Moral, and Directional Feb 28, 2020

Across languages, there is a strong correlation between words for 'straight' or 'right', and moral correctness. Lots of words, like 'strict', 'rule', 'upright', or conversely 'crooked' and idioms like "the straight and narrow" draw a clear comparison winding or bending as bad; even 'correct' and 'direction' also share this in their origins. Moreover, in law, 'right' has similar connotations. In many other languages these trends from law to slang are true as well, in French 'droit', Latin 'rectus', Greek 'dikaios' all can mean 'right' or 'just[ice]' as in law, in its direction, or with moral connotations. If you've know other cognates, leave it in a comment.

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