No Matter How You Say It: Responsibility
Word Origin
The word responsible comes from two Latin roots, responsum, which means “an answer, a reply” and spondere, which means “to promise”. Can you see how responsibility is a promised response?
Sign Language
Check out the following links from www.handspeak.com for the American Sign Language interpretation of the words:
Can you see how responsibility is shouldering a burden and irresponsibility is throwing it aside?
Icons and Graphics for Responsibility
Responsibility Idioms
- Be answerable to someone
- Be in charge of
- Be on the hook
- Be running the show
- Be the captain of your own ship
- Carry the weight of the world on your shoulders
- Do your duty
- Face the music
- Fulfill your obligations
- Handle something
- Have a duty to
- Have a lot on your plate
- Have a lot to answer for
- Have your hands full
- Hold someone accountable
- Make the call
- Own up to a problem
- Pull your weight
- Responsible Party
- Take the lead
- Taking the bull by the horns
- The buck stops here
- The finger of responsibility
In Other Languages
Spanish – responsibilidad
French – responsabilité
German – Verantwortung
Italian – responsabilità
Swedish – ansvar
Basque – erantzukizuna
Portugese – responsabilidade