Common Mistakes : Originate

Originate – Verb

BAD: One of our teachers originates from Scotland

GOOD: One of our teachers comes from Scotland

Originate is used in connection with things, ideas, customs etc (NOT people): ‘No one really knows how the solar system originated

If you are born in and/or grow up in a particular place, town, country etc, you come from that place:  Where does Agneta come from – Sweden or Norway

BAD: ‘Alcohol’, ‘alcove’ and ‘sofa’ originate in Arabic

GOOD: ‘Alcohol’, ‘alcove’ and ‘sofa’ come from Arabic

Words that enter a language from other languages come from (or are derived from ) those languages: ‘The name ‘terrier’ comes from the Latin word ‘terra’ meaning  the earth