| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5] > | Poll: Do you know of any words in English that have been borrowed from your (working) language(s)? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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David Earl 
United States
Local time: 20:49
German to English
| Since its German... | Jul 1, 2009 |
...how about if we start with the irregular verbs, and go from there. It's what the experts who worked on Webster's 4th seemed to think (every irregular verb I've looked up lists Anglo-Saxon in the etymology...it might not be all of them, right? ).
| | | | | Great story Theo, but... | Jul 1, 2009 |
As much as I would like the story about the 'verstandskies' to be true, I think 'verstand' does really mean 'wisdom'. They are called wisdom teeth, because they appear at a later age (at which people are thought to be wiser.
(See (in Dutch): http://www.onzetaal.nl/advies/verstandskies.php)
Such a pi... See more As much as I would like the story about the 'verstandskies' to be true, I think 'verstand' does really mean 'wisdom'. They are called wisdom teeth, because they appear at a later age (at which people are thought to be wiser.
(See (in Dutch): http://www.onzetaal.nl/advies/verstandskies.php)
Such a pity. It would have been great to tell my German friends here, that their 'Weisheitszahn' is a mistranslation of a Dutch word.
I do like the story of the word 'boulevard', which originally came from the Dutch word 'bolwerk'.
Be sure to also check the etymology of the word sabotage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabotage#Origin
Theo Bernards wrote: Here was I, thinking that only we Dutch import words from other languages  . To stray a little off-topic: a peculiar word in the English language is 'wisdom tooth'. It is a mistranslation from 'verstandskies': in the original Dutch meaning 'verstand' is how we Dutch name something standing very far away, but we also name the inner workings of our brain 'verstand', which can be translated as 'wisdom' which is imho not the best translation. The correct translation for 'verstandskies' is something in the line of 'far-standing tooth' (please don't quote me on that, because I am sure there is a more accurate translation, but for the purpose of my contribution to this poll this is sufficient ). Funnily enough the mistranslation happens in at least one other language (French has 'dent de sagesse') and I suspect there are more languages which have copied the mistranslation of 'verstandskies'. Could it be because dental sciences were developed in The Netherlands or maybe Flanders? I don't know. Anyway, I am always on the lookout for such oddities in the field of languages, so if anybody knows one, please let me know, together with a brief explanation. I might even be able to compile a list of such words, with a little background information for each term.[Edited at 2009-07-01 13:14 GMT] [Edited at 2009-07-01 13:15 GMT]
[Edited at 2009-07-01 14:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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At least two:
-Guerrilla (we were the inventors of that type of war)
-Alligator: El lagarto
But for sure there are more
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:49
Russian to English
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In memoriam | A few more from Russian | Jul 1, 2009 |
I think there are two main categories: words that go into the language and stay there long-term, and words that are associated with current events, are popular for a time and then either fade out completely or revert to being used only when referring to the other country.
From Russian, in the first category:
Troika (a sleigh pulled by three horses);
Vodka (no explanation needed!)
Tsar (not only for the former head of the Russian Empire, but any head of some governm... See more I think there are two main categories: words that go into the language and stay there long-term, and words that are associated with current events, are popular for a time and then either fade out completely or revert to being used only when referring to the other country.
From Russian, in the first category:
Troika (a sleigh pulled by three horses);
Vodka (no explanation needed!)
Tsar (not only for the former head of the Russian Empire, but any head of some government body with extensive powers);
Pogrom (attack on people of a certain race or religion, with a view to their expulsion).
And of course balalaika and "bolshie", as already mentioned.
In the second category:
Sputnik (same into use when the first Russian satellite was launched, applied to any satellite at first, but now only used of the early Soviet ones);
Glasnost (openness, one of Gorbachev's buzzwords)
Perestroyka (restructuring, ditto).
And doubtless many more. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Except If I Have to Check the whole Webster Dictionary | Jul 1, 2009 |
Except I have to check the whole of Webster Dictionary and that may take about a year to reply to this poll.:grin:
But if in publications, I have not come across any. Though, there are hundreds of English words borrowed into Yoruba language. E.g. bread = buredi; computer = Komputa; [Yoruba alphabets do not contain c, q, v, x and z], coat = kootu; etc
But I shall appreciate it, if someone knows of any.
| | | | | | Natalia Pedrosa (X)
Local time: 04:49
English to Spanish
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| Some more Spanish terms | Jul 1, 2009 |
Fiesta, sangría, etc. Sorry, a bit short of inspiration.
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Amy Duncan (X)
Brazil
Local time: 23:49
Portuguese to English
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| And a really popular one... | Jul 1, 2009 |
Katio wrote:
Particularly prevalent:
Angst
Schadenfreude
and for a while the unbeatable "four-spring duck technique" = "Vorsprung durch technik"(!!)
Regards,
Katio
Gesundheit!
| | | | | An English word derived from German is... | Jul 1, 2009 |
..."kindergarten", and another one is "rucksack", I think, and some more you can find in the link Andrea mentioned above.
Many greetings,
Johanna
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:49
Spanish to English
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I'm too busy right now to detail any of the regulat ones that spring to mind (might do so later) or to take issue with any other posters.
However, I should mention that most of my friends who come to visit in SPAIN have adopted such Spanish terms as "bocata" or "cubata" and we also now say "imprescindible" but with an English pronunciation (rhymes with wibble)....
| | | | Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:49
English to Arabic
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I've always thought it is funny that the words borrowed from Spanish refer to sleeping and partying (siesta, sangría, fiesta)
| | | | | | | the swedish word ombudsman | Jul 1, 2009 |
the ancient swedish word "ombudsman" is now officially used in every language.
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