Exercise 3. Comment on the etymology of the following groups of words. a) Canoe, chocolate, cigar, cocoa, comrade, maize, mango, negro, tomato, vanilla; b) cobalt, leitmotiv, nickel, rucksack, swan-song, waltz; zinc; c) ass, clan, Tory, whisky; d) banana, port, vcranda(h), zebra; e) deck, rabbit, skipper, yacht; f) divan, khaki, kiosk, margarine, rice; g) mazurka; h) polka; i) silk, tea; j) caftan, coffee. Exercise
a) Canoe, chocolate, cigar, cocoa, comrade, maize, mango, negro, tomato, vanilla:
- Canoe: The word "canoe" originated from the Carib language, which was spoken by the Indigenous people in the Caribbean.
- Chocolate: The word "chocolate" has its origins in the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztecs. The Nahuatl word "xocoatl" refers to a bitter drink made from cacao beans.
- Cigar: The word "cigar" has its roots in the Spanish word "cigarro" and originally came from the Mayan word "sikar," meaning tobacco.
- Cocoa: The word "cocoa" is derived from the Nahuatl word "cacahuatl."
- Comrade: The word "comrade" has its roots in the Middle French word "cromade," meaning "a close companion." It was later adopted into English and used to refer to a fellow soldier or colleague.
- Maize: The word "maize" comes from the Taíno word "mahiz," which was one of the Native American languages spoken in the Caribbean.
- Mango: The word "mango" originated from the Tamil language, spoken in South India and Sri Lanka.
- Negro: The word "negro" comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word for "black." It was used historically to describe people of African descent.
- Tomato: The word "tomato" originated from the Nahuatl word "tomatl," which referred to the fruit that we now know as the tomato.
- Vanilla: The word "vanilla" comes from the Spanish word "vainilla," which means "little pod" and refers to the vanilla bean.
b) Cobalt, leitmotiv, nickel, rucksack, swan-song, waltz, zinc:
- Cobalt: The word "cobalt" comes from the German word "kobald," which means "goblin" or "evil spirit." This is because cobalt-containing ores were difficult to smelt and were believed to be the work of goblins.
- Leitmotiv: The word "leitmotiv" comes from German and translates to "leading motif." It is used in music to refer to a recurring theme associated with a particular character, idea, or situation.
- Nickel: The word "nickel" originates from the German word "kupfernickel," which means "copper demon." It was given this name because the ore from which nickel is primarily extracted was considered worthless and caused problems during the smelting of copper.
- Rucksack: The word "rucksack" comes from German and is a combination of "rucken" (back) and "sack" (bag). It is used to describe a bag that is carried on the back.
- Swan-song: The term "swan-song" originates from the belief that swans sing a beautiful song just before they die. It is used metaphorically to refer to a final performance or act before retirement or demise.
- Waltz: The word "waltz" originates from the German word "walzen," which means "to roll" or "to turn." It refers to a ballroom dance in triple time.
- Zinc: The word "zinc" has its roots in the German word "zink" or the Persian word "sing," both meaning "tin." It was named so because of its resemblance to tin.
c) Ass, clan, Tory, whisky:
- Ass: The word "ass" comes from the Old English word "ærs," which refers to the animal.
- Clan: The word "clan" originated from the Gaelic word "clann," which means "children" or "offspring." It refers to a social group in Scottish and Irish societies.
- Tory: The word "Tory" originated from the Irish word "tóraidhe" and the Scottish Gaelic word "tòraidh," referring to an outlaw or robber. It was later used to describe a member of the conservative party in British politics.
- Whisky: The word "whisky" comes from the Irish word "uisce beatha" or the Scottish Gaelic "uisge beatha," which means "water of life." It refers to a type of alcoholic beverage.
d) Banana, port, veranda(h), zebra:
- Banana: The word "banana" has its origins in the Wolof language, spoken in West Africa. It was later adopted into Portuguese and then into English.
- Port: The word "port" comes from the Latin word "portus," which means "harbor" or "gateway." It refers to a place where ships can dock to load or unload cargo.
- Veranda(h): The word "veranda(h)" has its origins in the Hindi word "baranda." It refers to a covered porch or balcony attached to a house.
- Zebra: The word "zebra" originated from the Latin word "zebra," which came from the Greek word "zebra," meaning "wild ass."
e) Deck, rabbit, skipper, yacht:
- Deck: The word "deck" comes from the Middle Dutch word "dec," which means "roof" or "covering." It refers to a floor-like surface on a ship or a playing card.
- Rabbit: The word "rabbit" has its origins in the Old French word "rabot" and the Middle English word "robett," which referred to a young rabbit.
- Skipper: The word "skipper" comes from the Middle Dutch word "schipper" and the Low German word "schipe," which means "ship." It is used to refer to the person in charge of a ship or boat.
- Yacht: The word "yacht" originates from the Dutch word "jacht," which means "hunt" or "chase." Originally, it referred to a fast-sailing ship used for pursuing pirates or engaging in naval warfare.
f) Divan, khaki, kiosk, margarine, rice:
- Divan: The word "divan" originated from the Persian word "devan," which means "book" or "register." It later came to refer to a type of sofa or couch with no backrest.
- Khaki: The word "khaki" comes from the Persian word "khak," meaning "dust" or "earth." It refers to a light tan or sandy color typically associated with military uniforms.
- Kiosk: The word "kiosk" has its roots in the Turkish word "köşk," which means "pavilion" or "summerhouse." It now refers to a small enclosed structure often used for selling newspapers, refreshments, or tickets.
- Margarine: The word "margarine" comes from the Greek word "margarites," meaning "pearl." It was originally used to describe a substance made from pearl essence before being applied to a butter substitute made from vegetable oils.
- Rice: The word "rice" comes from the Old French word "ris." It was borrowed from the Italian word "riso," which is ultimately derived from the Latin word "oryza."
g) Mazurka:
- Mazurka: The word "mazurka" comes from the Polish word "mazur," which refers to a region in Poland. It is a traditional Polish folk dance in triple time.
h) Polka:
- Polka: The word "polka" comes from the Czech word "polka," meaning "Polish woman" or "Polish girl." The dance originated in Bohemia in the 19th century and soon became popular throughout Europe and the United States.
i) Silk, tea:
- Silk: The word "silk" comes from the Old English word "sylc," which originated from the Latin word "sericum." It refers to a natural protein fiber produced by silkworms.
- Tea: The word "tea" has its origins in the Chinese word "chá." It was borrowed into Portuguese and then spread to other languages.
j) Caftan, coffee:
- Caftan: The word "caftan" comes from the Persian word "qaftan," which refers to a loose-fitting garment. It is often worn in the Middle East and other regions.
- Coffee: The word "coffee" originates from the Arabic word "qahwah." It was later adapted into Turkish as "kahve" and then spread to other languages.