South

Lore & Background

The word south comes from Old English sūþ, from earlier Proto-Germanic *sunþaz, possibly related to the same Proto-Indo-European root that the word sun derived from. Some languages describe south in the same way, from the fact that it is the direction of the sun at noon (in the Northern Hemisphere), like Latin meridies 'noon, south', while others describe south as the right-hand side of the rising sun, like Biblical Hebrew תֵּימָן teiman 'south' from יָמִין yamin 'right'. By convention, the bottom or down-facing side of a map is south. Alternatively, in the Northern Hemisphere outside the tropics, the Sun will be roughly in the south at midday. True south is one end of the axis about which the Earth rotates, called the South Pole, located in Antarctica. Magnetic south is the direction towards the south magnetic pole, some distance away from the south geographic pole. The Global South refers to the socially and economically less-developed southern half of the globe. Use of the term 'South' may also be country-relative, as in the Southern United States or the South of England. Southern Cone is the name for the southernmost area of South America encompassing Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and the entire South of Brazil. The country of South Africa is so named because of its location at the southern tip of Africa. Australia derives its name from the Latin Terra Australis ('Southern Land').

Reader's Guide

South is a cardinal direction fundamental to human orientation, navigation, and cultural geography. Its etymology reflects ancient linguistic roots possibly linked to the sun, and many languages associate south with the sun's position at noon in the Northern Hemisphere. The concept of south extends beyond mere direction to shape geopolitical and economic divisions, such as the Global South, which denotes less-developed regions, and country-relative terms like the Southern United States or the South of England. The Southern Cone of South America and the names of South Africa and Australia (from Terra Australis) further illustrate how 'south' has been used to define regions and nations. In the card game bridge, South is one of the players. In Greek religion, Notos was the south wind. Thus, south is not only a spatial reference but also a cultural, historical, and symbolic marker.

Did You Know?

• The word south may be related to the same Proto-Indo-European root as the word sun.
• In the Northern Hemisphere outside the tropics, the Sun is roughly in the south at midday.
• The country of South Africa is named for its location at the southern tip of Africa.