The correct spelling is "toward south", with no "s" at the end of "toward". The pronunciation is /ˈtɔːrd ˈsaʊθ/. The word "toward" (meaning "in the direction of") is commonly misspelled with an "s" at the end, but this is incorrect. The IPA phonetic transcription shows that the "d" at the end of "toward" is pronounced as a voiceless "t" sound, while the "th" at the beginning of "south" is pronounced as a voiceless dental fricative sound.
The term "toward south" is a phrase used to indicate movement or direction in the southern direction. It describes the action of moving, facing, or pointing in the general region that lies in the south of a given reference point, location, or object.
When using the phrase "toward south," it implies going in the direction away from the northern region and heading towards the southern area. It is often used in discussions related to navigation, travel, geography, or orientation.
The term can also be used more figuratively or metaphorically to describe a general inclination or tendency towards something associated with the southern direction. For instance, if someone says they have a "toward south" preference for warmer climates, it means that they tend to favor or be inclined towards choosing destinations or activities located in the south because of the warmer weather.
Additionally, "toward south" can be employed to describe a person's posture or alignment. For example, if someone is standing in a way that their body is oriented or leans in the direction of the south, their position can be described as being "toward south."
Overall, "toward south" refers to movement, direction, preference, or alignment that relates to the southern region or the act of moving from north to south.
The phrase "toward south" does not have a distinct etymology as it is a combination of two words. However, we can analyze the etymology of the individual components:
1. "Toward": The word "toward" originates from the Old English word "tóweard", which is a combination of "tó" (meaning "in the direction of") and "weard" (meaning "becoming" or "turned"). Over time, the spelling and pronunciation evolved to form the modern word "toward", referring to the direction of something.
2. "South": The word "south" comes from the Old English term "sūþ", which has similar roots in other Germanic languages. It ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *sun-, meaning "sun" or "solar".