Under normal or usual circumstances; in a typical manner according to established patterns or expectations.
Derived from Latin 'norma' meaning 'carpenter's square' or 'rule,' which gave us the concept of a standard or pattern. The word evolved through Old French 'normal' and entered English in the 17th century, with the adverbial form developing to describe conformity to established standards.
The etymology of 'normally' connecting to a carpenter's tool reveals how our concept of 'normal' is literally built on the idea of measuring against a standard. This makes every use of the word an implicit reference to some invisible ruler we're holding up to reality.
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