A
Cognates are shown in bold
abaco [= abacus], Fr. abaque (m.), It. abaco.
An abacus is a calculating board, typically consisting of a
wooden frame with balls sliding on wires. Originally, abacus
referred to a sand-covered table, where pebbles were laid out
for counting purposes.
The source is Gk. ‘abax’ meaning “sand tray”as well as “slab
{broad, flat piece of stone, etc.}”. Gk. ‘abax’ is akin to the Heb.
root ‘abq’ (Heb. ‘avaq’ = dust; ‘avqa’ = powder).
Eng. abacus and Fr. abaque also denote the uppermost part
of the capital of an {architectural} column. The source is again
Gk. ‘abax’ , here meaning “slab”.
abandonar [= to abandon, to desert], It. abbandonare.
The source is the French verb abandonner [= id.] , which
comes from OldFr. ‘ {mettre} à bandon’ [= {put} in the power or
jurisdiction {of somebody}].
abeja [=bee], Fr. abeille (f.).
The source is Lat. ‘apicula’ [= (lit.) little bee], a diminutive of
Lat. ‘apis’ [=bee].
Popular Latin (the Latin spoken in daily life) had the tendency
to embellish short words of Classical Latin in various ways
(see, e.g., comer, hablar). In a number of cases diminutives
were formed for the purpose of embellishment. Thus ‘apicula’ ,
meaning “little bee” in Classical Latin was used instead of
‘apis’ in Popular Latin. ‘apicula’ became abeja in Sp. and
abeille in Fr. On the other hand we have ‘ape’ [=bee] in It.,
derived directly from ‘apis’ without any embellishment.
For similar examples of the use of diminutives see aguja,
oreja.
Note. apicultura [= apiculture] denotes “rearing of bees”.
Phonetic (sound-related) remark: Lat. ‘p’ between vowels
usually becomes ‘b’ in Sp.
abogado [=lawyer; advocate], It. avvocato.
Note that Fr. avocat means “lawyer” as well as “avocado”.
The source is Lat. ‘advocatus’ , the pp. of ‘advocare’ [=to
summon] < ‘ad-’ + ‘vocare’ [=to call].
There exists a surprising connection between abogado and
Eng. ‘avocado’; see aguacate!
abundar [= to be plentiful, to abound], Fr. abonder, It.
abbondare.
The source is Lat. ‘abundare’ [=to overflow]. The root is Lat.
‘unda’ [=wave = Sp. onda]. This is an example of a “flowrelated” metaphor. The corresponding noun is:
abundancia [=abundance], Fr. abondance, it. abbondanza.
aceite [=oil]. The source is Ar. (Arabic) ‘azeit’ which is
composed of ‘a-‘ { a reduction of the Ar. definite article ‘al’} +
‘zeit’ [=olive oil]. In Sp. we have aceite de oliva [=olive oil]!
Note that in Ar. the definite article together with the following
noun form a single word. If the noun in question starts with
certain consonants (e.g., ‘d’, ‘z’) the article part ‘al’ is reduced
to ‘a’.
aceituna [=olive] comes from Ar. ‘azeituna’ , composed of ‘a-’
+ ‘zeituna’ [=olive] (see aceite above). Ar. ‘zeituna’ is cognate
with Heb. (Hebrew) ‘zayit’.
acera [=pavement; sidewalk] comes from OldSp. ‘facera’,
denoting the façade of a row of buildings. ‘facera’ is derived
from OldSp. ‘faz’ [=face], now replaced by ‘cara’.
adivinar [= to prophesy; to guess], Fr. deviner [=to guess; to
foresee], It. indovinare [=to guess; to foresee].
The source is Lat. ‘divinus’ [=divine]. This development is
based on the belief that the power to prophesy is a divine gift.
aduana [=customs] comes from Ar. ‘adiwan’ < ‘a-’ [the] +
‘diwan’ [=office]. ‘diwan’ is originally Persian, and has some
interesting derivatives.
Eng. ‘divan’ = [sofa, couch; long cushioned seat against a
wall; council, committee].
Fr. ‘divan’ = [sofa; council; collection of poetry].
It. ‘divano’ = [sofa, couch].
Ger. ‘Diwan’ = [long cushioned seat; collection of poetry].
adulterar [=to commit adultery];
adulto [=adult].
No etymological connection exists between the above two
words. The verb adulterar comes from Lat. ‘adulterare’ [=to
alterate; to falsify], whereas adulto comes from Lat. ‘adultus’,
the pp. of the verb ‘adolescere’ [=to grow]. Here are some
related words.
Fr. ‘adulte’ [=adult]; ‘adultère’ [=adultery]; ‘adultérer’ [=to
alterate; to falsify].
It. ‘adulto’ [=adult]; ‘adulterio’ [=adultery].
agredir [=to attack], It. aggredire, Fr. agresser.
The source is Lat. ‘agredi’ [=to approach] < ‘ad-’ + ‘gradi’ [=to
step, to go]. Here we have a case of
“{semantic}
deterioration”, i.e., the meaning of the derivative is worse than
that of the source word.
The corresponding noun is:
agresión [=aggression], Fr. aggression, It. aggressione {all
(f.)}.
Phonetic remark: the pp. of Lat. ‘agredir’ is ‘agressus’, which
explains the above appearances of ‘ss’ .
aguacate [=avocado]; there exists an interesting connection
between aguacate and abogado [=lawyer] {see above}.
The avocado tree is native to the mainland of South America,
from Mexico south to the Andean regions of Columbia and
Venezuela.
The source of its name is Aztec ‘ahuacatl’. This Aztec word
entered the West-European countries in two forms, both
undergoing popular sound adaptations. One form was
‘avocado’ the other was ‘aguacate’. The first form became
standard in Eng., the other in Sp.
In Fr. avocat means both “lawyer” as well as “avocado”.
aguja [=needle], Fr. aiguille (f.).
The source is Pop. Lat. ‘acucula’, a diminutive of Lat. ‘acus’
[=needle] (see abeja above). In It. we have ‘ago’ [=needle],
derived directly from ‘acus’.
Phonetic remark: Lat. ‘c’ between vowels (when pronounced
‘k’) usually becomes ‘g’ in Sp.
albaricoque [=apricot].
The name of this fruit has an interesting history. In addition to
Fr. abricot we have It. albicocca, Catalan abercoc. The fruit
was called apricock at the times of Shakespeare. In his
Midsummer’s night dream, Shakespeare mentions it with
implications to a fruit with special qualities: “Feed him with
apricocks and dewberries”.
The fruit and word have a long trail of traveling. Thence the
transformations in the different languages. The fruit is believed
to originate from the southern part of the Caucasus. It is
assumed that the Roman legionaries brought it to Rome in the
first century B.C. The Romans called the fruit ‘pesca
precoqua’ (= early ripe peach). Here, pre=early, and coqua <
coquere =to ripen = to be cooked by the sun.
Later the Moors, Arabs from North Africa, introduced the fruit
to Andalucia, Southern Spain. They called the fruit ‘barquq’, a
modification of Lat. ‘precoqu-‘. Note that there is no ‘p’ sound
in Arabic; usually the ‘p’ sound is replaced by ‘b’, and
sometimes by ‘f’. Together with the Arabic definite article ‘al’,
the fruit became known in Spain as ‘albarquq’, and later as
albaricoque. Fr. abricot comes apparently from Catalan
abercoc.
About the fruit: It grows on a rather small tree, which has a
yellowish pinkish fruit, somewhat velvety on the outside and
fleshy inside, with a stone covering the seed. Peaches and
plums grow on very similar trees. Their foliage and flowers
differ only slightly. Modern agriculture has succeeded in
cultivating crossings of these, e.g., stone-free peaches,
nectarines and more.
alcachofa [=artichoke] is derived from Ar. ‘al’[=the] +
‘khurshuf’ [=artichoke]’ (cf. Heb. ‘khurshaf’). In It. the word
appears without ‘al’, namely ‘carciofo’. On the other hand, we
have Fr. ‘artichaut (m.)’ and North It. ‘articiocco’, cognates
with Eng. ‘artichoke’.
alcohol [=alcohol]. The source is Ar. ‘al’[=the] + ‘cohol’
[=powdered antimony. It. alcool = Fr.
Originally, In Arabic, as well as in OldSp., ‘alcohol’ referred to
powdered antimony used by women for their eye beauty
treatments. Later the meaning was extended to “any fine
powder”, and then to “any essence, obtained by distillation”.
The latter meaning was eventually specialized to
“essence/spirit of wine”; hence the present-day meaning of
“alcohol”.
Cf. Heb. ‘kakhal’ [= dark-blue eye-beauty powder].
algodon [=cotton] comes from Pop.Ar. ‘al’[=the] + ‘qoton’
[=cotton]. Pop.Ar. ‘qoton’ is a variation of Ar. ‘qutn’ ,cf. Heb.
‘qutna’ [=cotton] . In Fr. (and Eng.) we have ‘cotton’, and in It.
‘cotone’, both derived from Ar. ‘qoton’, without the def. article
‘al’.
almacen (m.) [=warehouse].
almacen comes from Ar.
‘al’[=the] + ‘makhzan’[=store,
storehouse]. The Fr. term ‘magasin’ [=storehouse], and the It.
‘magazzino’ [=warehouse; store] are both direct derivatives of
Ar. ‘makhazin’, the plural of ‘makhzan’. Cf. also Heb.
‘makhsan’ [= store] . The concept of “warehouse” (containing
a variety of items) also developed into that of “illustrated
periodical” (dealing with a variety of topics). Hence we have
Fr. ‘magazine’ [=periodical]. The above It. term ‘magazzino’ is
also used in this sense.
(grandes) almacenes (pl.) refers to “department store”.
almendra [=almond], It. mandorla, Fr. amande (f.)];
amigdala [=tonsil], Fr. amygdale (f.) .
The above words derive from Gk. ‘amygdale’ [=almond] via
Lat. ‘amygdala’, Pop.Lat. ‘amindula’ [=almond]. The above
words for “tonsil” are motivated by the similarity in form of the
tonsil and the almond.
Cf. Ger. ‘Mandel’ [=almond; tonsil].
Note that Lat. did have a special word for “tonsil” , namely
‘tonsilla’, which is preserved in It. ‘tonsilla’.
almirante [=admiral], Fr. amiral, It. ammiraglio.
In this case the initial ‘al’ is not the definite Ar. article, but all
the above words come from Ar. ‘amir’ [=commander (of)] + ‘al’
[=the] (+ e.g., ‘bahr’ [=sea]).
‘amir’ + ‘al’ was taken as one word, and obtained the meaning
of “commander of the sea”.
The above words were apparently also influenced by L.
‘admiratus’ [admired].
alquimia [=alchemy], Fr. alchimie, It. alchimia.
Alchemy is an art, practiced in the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance, concerned with discovering methods for
transmuting base metals (e.g., lead) into gold as well as with
finding ways to prolong life. Arabic scientists contributed
extensively to this pseudo-science, but also to its development
into the proper science of chemistry.
animal, [=animal], It. animale, Fr. animal] < Lat. ‘animalis’
[=having breath or soul] < Lat. ‘anima’ [=breath; soul]. Thus,
the meaning of the Lat. source word ‘animalis’ has a much
wider scope than present-day animal !
aprender [=to learn], It. apprendere, Fr. apprendre.
The source is Lat. ‘prendere’ [=to grasp; to detain]. This is an
example of an “abstraction metaphor”, namely the concept of
“holding, seizing” is extended to that of “mental hold”.
Note: It. ‘imparare’ [=to learn] is preferable.
arbol [=tree], It. albero, Fr. arbre (m.).
The source is Lat. ‘arbor’ [=tree]. Cf. Eng. ‘arboriculture’
[=cultivation of trees].
Phonetic Remark. Here we have a case of “dissimulation”:
One of the two ‘r’ in Lat. ‘arbor’ changed into ‘l’ in Sp. and It.
arroz [=rice].
This cereal, well-known in its cultivated form, has its origins in
India and China. Rice culture gradually moved westward, and
was introduced to southern Europe by invading Arab tribes
(the Moors).
Rice constitutes the principal food in India, China, and Japan.
Sp. ‘arroz’ comes from Ar. ‘ar’ [= the {replacing ‘al’}] + ‘ruzz’
[=rice]. It ‘riso’ , Fr. ‘riz’, Eng. ‘rice’, and Ger. ‘Reis’ come all
directly from Gk. ‘oryza’. Both Gk. ‘oryza’ and Ar. ‘ruzz’ are of
eastern origin.
asesinar [= to assassinate], It. assassinare, Fr. assassiner.
Of particular historic interest is the following group of words all
meaning “murderer”. Its oldest European form is It.
‘assassino’, which was then adopted into Fr. ‘assassin’, Sp.
‘asesino’, and Eng. ‘assassin’. We also have the above
corresponding verbs, namely:
Sp. asesinar [= to murder, to assassinate], It. assassinare,
Fr. assassiner.
This group of words originates from Ar. ‘khashashin’ pl. of
‘khashash’ [one who smokes khashish]. The name ‘khashash’
was originally applied to a member of a secret society of
Muslim fanatics, established by the Sheikh al-Djabal (Old Man
of the Mountain). They were active in Palestine at the time of
the Crusades, and committed many murders under the
influence of khashish. The above group of words was
originally introduced into Europe by the Crusaders.
azar [ = chance, fate] Fr. hasard .
por azar [= by chance], Fr. par hasard.
The source is Ar. ‘az-zahr’ [= the dice]. azar meant originally
“an unfortunate throw of the dice”. Later it got the meaning of
“chance”, both lucky as well as unlucky. Note that Eng.
‘hazard’ derives from the same Ar. source.
azucar [=sugar] comes from Ar. ‘a-’ [=the {replacing ‘al’}] +
‘sukkar’[=sugar]. It. ‘zucchero’, Fr. ‘sucre’ , as well as Eng.
‘sugar’, are derived directly from Ar. ‘sukkar’ (< Pers. ‘shakar’
< Sanskrit ‘sarkara’).