The English word 'diary' comes from the Latin word 'diarium' meaning 'daily allowance'. By definition, Diary is a notebook used to keep various daily records on everyday basis or over the particular period of time.
The word 'journal' is also comes from the French word 'Jurnal' meaning a 'day'. Like a diary, a journal is also used to record certain issues every day or after a specific period of time.
Diary has similar function with journal. They are both used to record daily events or experiences. Their difference relies on one thing: diary is personal and it is usually confidential while a journal is mostly an open record of events and other observations of life. But it may also happen to be confidential sometimes.
Diary Writing began many years before and after Christ. Its growth was first seen in the Middle East and East Asia. The Diary written by the King of Romans, Marcus Aurelius in the second century after Christ, is the first diary records with all the qualities of Diary.
The Southern China scholar, Li Ao also wrote his diary when he recorded his travel tales in the 9th century describing his journey to Southern China.
Today, Personal diaries have been the basis for recording people's lives and their literary work or other life works. In the 16th century, Samuel Pepys, a British writer, was a well-known diary writer by making the work of writing diary to be more sophisticated and more commercial.
One of the famous Diary writers and who have ever written modern diaries is Anne Frank, a diary writer from Germany.
Conclusion
Diary Writing has now become famous among the people in our modern societies. This is because Diary Writing has been more than a volunteering work or ameteur job. Now Diary writing can bring some personal benefits to the writers. Diary Writing has also become a source of literature and one of the basics in modern office works.
Guys, let us keep a diary!