This felt like you were pushing a modern usage of "pay" onto an older phrase, so a quick google search of the origin of "pay attention" comes up with this --> https://english.stackexchange.com/a/388607
Agree that "pay" has non-monetary meanings, which are whispered in "pay a visit" or "pay court to". But I just noticed that we say in English both "pay attention" and "spend time". Hm... paying and spending....
In Finnish, one could say "Keskity!" and since "keski" is
"center" it has some idea of centering oneself? But this is more like, "Focus!" Or you could say, "kiinnittää huomiota" -- to fasten your attention?
In Finnish, one could say "Keskity!" and since "keski" is "center" it has some idea of centering oneself? But this is more like, "Focus!" Or you could say, "kiinnittää huomiota" -- to fasten your attention?