Quiz: How did the word evolve?
We all know what a quiz is. Simply put, it’s a competition where participants test their knowledge by answering questions on one or more topics; with those who cannot answer getting eliminated. Sometimes a surprise class test is also called a quiz. The benefits of a quizzing exercise are undeniable. Starting from amping up your general knowledge to helping you identify your knowledge gaps and boosting better retainment of information, quizzing does it all. It also sharpens your time management and guessing skills. Smartacus 2022, The Hindustan Times National Interschool Quiz, is a quizzing event that will not only give you a huge platform to challenge yourself but also a lifetime opportunity to interact with two of the most prolific quizmasters of the country. The Selection round of the quiz, to be conducted on 15th August between 2 PM and 3 PM, will be hosted by none other than Dr. Navin Jayakumar and Mr. Avinash Mudaliar. Registration for Smartacus 2022 is currently ongoing and will remain open till 14th August midnight for students of Grades 5- 12. As you gear up for his mega Independence Day quiz which is on the verge of creating many world records like its predecessor ClassAct 2022, The Hindustan Times Republic Day Quiz, we take you through the fascinating origin and evolution of the word ‘quiz.’
Quiz: The word as we see it today
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, in 1867, the term ‘quiz’ first appeared to mean a test of knowledge comprising a set of specific questions. Next, it came to mean tests conducted by teachers, and that meaning has still lived on. Early 20th century American newspapers started using ‘quiz’ to mean a puzzle-solving contest. That is how the meaning of the word, and the size of quiz contests steadily grew, till it became what it is today.
Quiz: The word’s evolution in English language
The word ‘quiz’ existed in the 16th century. At that time, it meant ‘an odd-looking person’ or ‘an odd incident’. There’s a popular legend around the source of the word. Apparently, Richard Daly, the manager of a Dublin theatre wagered that he could make a meaningless word the talk of the city in a day, and get people to give it a meaning in a week. To win the bid, he got the letters Q, U, I and Z painted on doors and shutters all across Dublin at night. Everyone talked about it the next day, and within a week the meaning that emerged was ‘something odd’. However, there no historical proof of this rather curious incident.
By the 1790s, ‘quiz’ meant a yoyo like toy; a practical joke; or a witty person. The Oxford English Dictionary and similar etymological sources also cite this meaning.
Quizzing: Did it exist in the ancient world?
While ancient India, Persia, Arabia and China had examples of masters and gurus testing the knowledge of their students, there was no concept of quiz. Clerks applying to work for the Chinese Emperor had to take written exams, much like the banking or civil services today. But there was no evidence of a general quiz there either. Oddly enough, even the Greeks and Romans, famous for their open forum discussions and debates, did not have the quiz. Nor was it part of any tribal culture.