In literature, especially in the works of the classics, the adverb “backwards” is often found. This is a fairly common term, and many readers, even without knowing its exact definition, can easily guess from the context that this is a fall.
This is true, but the word has a well-established meaning. It is not just that someone lost his balance, but that he fell in a very definite way - on his back.
What does the word “back” mean?
To find out its meaning, you need to look into the dictionary. The dictionaries of the Russian language explain that to fall backward is to face up on the ground. It can be a question not only of an annoying embarrassment, but also of a relaxed posture. For example, when the hero of the work rests, spreading on his back.
But backwards is always such a situation. About the pose on the side, on the stomach or any other way to say so, this is a mistake.
Origin
“Back” is a word with a rather ancient history. Etymology goes back to the Old Slavonic language. Specialists-philologists call this term actually Russian, in other Slavic languages similar words are also sometimes found, but they sound and are written differently.
Sitnikov’s etymological dictionary suggests that the word arose as a result of the transformation of the ancient adverb “Navznak”, meaning “face up”.
The Serbo-Croatian word “nakom” - “for”, “after” also influenced.
On your face and face
But how then to talk about those who, for some reason, were lying on their stomach? “Back” is the antonym of the word “face down”, which means exactly “face down”. These words, as well as “prostrate” (prostrate mouth) and “wrong side” (for example, fabric) are cognate.
Spelling
The word “back” is an adverb and answers the questions “how?”, “How?”. It is not distinguished in the sentence by any special punctuation marks, except for punctuation laid down according to the rules of the Russian language. The word is always written together.