Motivation, "Motion" (German), motion (English) and demotivatory

Abstract

The article delves into the derivation of the word ‘motivation,’ tracing its etymology from the Latin verb ‘moveo’ to its various meanings in Russian, and providing examples of usage. Additionally, it explores terms from the same Latin root borrowed from different languages, demonstrating the diversity of meanings that emerge. As the final part of the derivational chain, it analyzes the emergence of the so-called ‘demotivatory,’ a genre of internet literature parodying motivational posters.

Keywords

• motivation, etymology, loanword