Word mysteries are where words in languages that I know don’t correspond to each other at all despite those languages often sharing lexical histories. These words are both mystifying (why are they different?) and annoying (why must you be different?!).
Today, inspired by an email I got promoting the Gap’s Pierre Lapin line of clothes (so much cuter in French!), we’re going to look at one of Peter Rabbit’s favorite snacks, that long orange root vegetable he was always stealing from Mr. McGregor’s garden.
CAT pastanaga [pahs-tah-nah-gah] — Interestingly, Catalan has the sole Latin-based word today, from pastĭnāca which seems to have been “root-looking” vegetable as parsnips shared the same name.
EN carrot — Very boring. Late 15th century from French carotte, from Greek karōton.
ES zanahoria [thah-nah-oh-reeah] — This one is really cool. An Arabic loanword* which became safunnárya in Spanish. The Moors are perhaps better known for their time in southern Italy, but they set up camp in Spain in 711 and stayed for 700 years, changing everything about Spanish life forever. Almost every Spanish word beginning with al- comes from the Arabic definite article “the” and some will surely show up here in the future.
Stay tuned to this space for our next…. Word Mystery!
*Loanwords are words borrowed from one language and adopted into another.
January 30, 2013 at 12:35 pm
A word mystery: it must be Wednesday!
January 30, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Do you like them? I admit that I find having a regular feature takes a lot of the pressure off, but I could mix it up to a more general Word Wednesday…
January 30, 2013 at 1:43 pm
I like them. Maybe I’ll have to find a few Chinese-language-based mysteries to throw your way.
January 30, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Everything about Chinese is a mystery to me so anything you did to explain it would blow my mind.
January 30, 2013 at 5:56 pm
I love this–a little etymology to make it through the mid-week slog.
February 1, 2013 at 10:09 pm
As John Lennon (almost) sang, “Whatever gets you through the Wednesday…” Happy to be of service getting you through your slog!
January 30, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Very cool!
January 30, 2013 at 8:12 pm
By the way, you’ve made me into a monster. I now frequently make notes for more word mysteries when I’m half asleep in bed. It’s getting out of hand.
January 30, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Muahahaha. Would it make you feel even a little bit better if I told you how much I enjoy and appreciate it?