Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Word Origins 37. The word origin today is
treadmill. Okay. You know, like the exercise equipment. You often see in
sports centers. That treadmill. So let's take a look at the note here. Treadmill
is a piece of equipment with a flat moving surface usually a belt, a conveyor
belt that keeps going around. That you walk on or run on. Yeah. Sometimes you can
tilt it on an angle too, while staying in the same position. Or if you ever passed
by any sort of a health clubs or fitness centers , some sometimes you see people in
the window you know, exercise running on these things.
Okay and a mill, you know a building where grain is made into flour. So that's
why in the past you know. you did sometimes wonder what is a treadmill
called a treadmill ? What does it have to .... especially what
does it have to do with a mill. Tread well even though, tread has not always
been the most common word, but it does mean to step heavily on something. So at
least that one kind of makes sense. I probably hear the word tread used
nowadays more that people are worried that somebody's going to tread on their
rights. Like don't tread on me. So you hear it that way too. Like stomping on
you are stepping heavily on you. So let's continue. So this is what
tread actually means. To walk or stomp heavily on some on something. People
tread on grapes to make wine. So that might be one example. The way we use
tread. So at least when you hear treadmill, you might be able to... if you
already know the word tread, that kind of makes sense. But where does mill come
from ? All right. Let's continue. The origin of treadmill was originally used as a
device for discipline. You know like punishing somebody. It was originally
invented by MR. William Cubitt. Okay, for the use of prisoners, like prisoners in
jail. So it was to punish prisoners in jail and probably get some use out of
them for some work out of them at the same time, in 1818.
This was not originally invented to keep people in shape. So treadmill the
original idea was not about exercise keeping people healthy. No. It was
actually about punishing them. Prisoners were forced to climb the spokes of a
large paddle wheel and this wheel turned around. The energy of the device was used
to pump water and crush grain. So that's where the idea of mill comes from. It was
making flour. So kind of like killing two birds with one stone. They're punishing
the prisoners and they're also getting work out of them and you know, getting
crushed flour .So they're using the prisoners in this
way. Let's continue. The use of treadmill was abolished it was given up. It was
stopped for prisoners in 1898. Yeah. By that time I guess they thought you know,
that this might be a bit inhumane or it's never really good if a prison you
know prison just wants people to have workers. You know because maybe they, they
might do something to help get more workers. You know keep people in prison
or get people in prison. So you kind of don't want that . In Britain. All right.
when exercise became popular in the 1960s the treadmill was reborn. So
somebody figured it out. From the old-time. Hey we can make this into
exercise equipment. Okay anyway I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. I hope it was
informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.