Fallere to Leornian

Successful

The Latin term “fallere” meant “to deceive” or “to disappoint.”

The term was eventually adapted into Old French as “faillir,” which retained a similar meaning of “to be lacking.”

Over time, this term was integrated into Middle English as “failen,” and by the 14th century, it had transformed into the word “failure” as we know it today.

Ignorance

The Old English term “leornian” meant “to get knowledge, be cultivated, or study.”

This word can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic root “*liznojan,” meaning “to follow a track” or “to learn.”

What We Have Here

The choice is to reframe failures as learning opportunities or instead successfully maintain ignorance.