Color names: the history of the origin of the name of flowers. Etymological dictionary of herbs Spider word origin

Reference material on the topic

"Etymology of Plant Names"

1. Etymology of the word "plant"

The word "plant" is rooted in ancient times. Some philologists, based on the presence of the letter combination “ra” in its root, even substantiate the genesis of the term from the Indo-Aryan language. It is assumed that the morpheme "ra" denoted "light" in it. In the pantheon of the gods of the ancient Egyptian civilization, which is not unreasonably considered the heir to the Indo-Aryan culture, the god Ra was associated with the Sun.

Meanwhile, such an etymology of the word "plant" is most likely a beautiful legend, because. any serious scientific arguments under it have not yet been summed up. The famous Russian philologist and linguist Lev Uspensky in his "Etymological Dictionary" substantiates the origin of the term "plant" from the word "grow", which in the old Russian version sounded like "orsti". As you can see, the morphemes "ra" are not visible in it. Over the centuries, the verb was transformed into “growth”, and when the center of linguistic culture shifted to Moscow with its “screaming” pronunciation, the word was transformed into the verb “grow”. This version today looks the most plausible and logical.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, the god Ra was associated with sunlight.

The semantic component of the word "plant" is also associated with growth. Even the ancient Greek scientist Aristotle tried to give him a clear definition, who placed plants between animals and inanimate objects, since they are unable to move independently, but can still grow and develop. " encyclopedic Dictionary"Brockhaus and Efron on this occasion notes:" If we leave aside lower plants and keep in mind only their higher representatives, having roots, stem and leaves, then everyone will unmistakably recognize a plant and distinguish it from an animal.

In other words, a plant is something that grows by being attached to certain place is its main function and purpose of existence. Approximately the same definitions are given to plants by the word-formation dictionary of T.F. Efremov, as well as explanatory dictionaries by S.I. Ozhegov and D.N. Ushakov.

2. Blooming Sally

Funny name, isn't it? Why are two perfectly united different words: both separately understandable, but together - no?

Let's start with the last one, tea. In the old days, this plant had another name:Koporye tea . In the village of Koporye near St. Petersburg, there was an unusual craft: they collected the leaves of this plant, dried them and added to real, Chinese tea, thus forging it. Chinese tea was expensive, and the local substitute cost nothing. As for the first half...

Ivan - tea angustifolia

Hear what other names sound likeIvan tea : tea-willow, Ivanova grass, willow grass and, finally, willow grass. In fact, the leaves of this plant are just like those of many willows: narrow, long, pointed. There is a comparison with willow in names in other languages: “French willow” - in English, “willow of St. Antoine” - in French, “vrbovka” (similar to willow) - in Czech. So what do you think came first: willow or Ivan?

3 . Chamomile

Chamomile - it would seem that it could be more common than this name that has come into our everyday life from time immemorial. But... Ordinary? Yes! But ancient - no!

It is in vain to look for it in the old Russian handwritten herbals - it appeared only ... at the end of the 18th century. And before that, doctors and pharmacists - the best connoisseurs of plants in the old days - calledcamomile very sonorous in Latin.Anthemis romana what does it mean in translationroman navel (Rome in both Latin and Italian is pronounced "Roma").

In Russian usage, this Latin name gradually turned into “Romanov grass”, then into “Romana”, or “Ramana” and, finally, into the popular Russian “camomile ". Directlylike in a game of broken phone.

pharmaceutical camomile

4 . Potato

Long before the adventpotatoes in Europe, there were rumors among botanists about the existence in warm countries of a plant that gives large starchy tubers, supposedly having a sweet taste, which the locals call "yam".

It is believed that the first potato tubers were brought from the American island of Roanoke by the famous English admiral (in the past no less famous pirate) Francis Drake. The tubers he brought were similar in descriptions to tuberssweet potato and therefore they were called by that name.

Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato

In fact, it was a real potato, which had nothing to do with sweet potato, a tuberous plant from South Africa. But due to tradition, the name sweet potato in England has taken root and has survived (in a slightly modified form) to this day.

Word "potato "derived from the Italian"truffle ". Truffles are edible mushrooms, whose fruiting bodies, developing in the ground, in general outline really resemble a potato tuber.

5 . Mushroom

There are several explanations for the origin of the word "mushroom" and its analogues in Slavic languages ​​(according to A. I. Semyonov). Russian and Ukrainianmushroom , Polishgrzyb related to the old Russian wordgrub , which meant "hump", "hill", "hill". For comparison, the name of the hook-nosed breeds of pigeons, "mushrooms", also comes from here. In some Russian dialects, all mushrooms are called the wordlips , but in more this refers to the popular names of some tinder fungi - "lips", "sponges". In this form, the word passed into some Slavic languages, for example, into Czech (houby ) and Slovak (hubby ). latinfungus comes from Greekσφογγος , also denoting a sponge, a porous body. Another interpretation produces the word "mushroom" from the verb "row" ("row") - growing up, the mushroom "rakes" out of the ground. A connection with Old Russian is also possible.glib - mucus, sticky substance (cf. with the Lithuanian wordgleives having the same value). This root passed into the South Slavic languages: Slovenegliva , Serbiangiva . In Ukrainianclay - the name of the oyster mushroom.

6 . fern and wormwood

the word "port", or "flog", which meant "wing" in the Old Slavonic language, has now completely disappeared from living speech, but has been preserved in the nameferns , whose leaves resemble the wings of outlandish birds. The same applies to the word “fly” - “burn”: not only the verb “burn” came from it, but also the name of the plant -sagebrush . This is apparently due to the sharp, burning smell of this plant and the caustic, bitter taste, from which it “burns” in the mouth.

From the word "lop" (leaf) came the name "burdock ". Apparently, our ancestors were so struck by the size of burdock leaves that they no longer paid attention to anything else. And from the Slavic "misfire" (cut off), the name camesedge , many species of which can "boast" sharp, like a razor blade, the edges of hard leaves.

8. Currant

The Old Slavonic word "stench" means "strong, bad smell". From here -currant . Interestingly, only blackcurrant has a sharp characteristic smell, and it still grows wild along the banks of rivers and streams, but the “bad-smelling” name has spread to other species of this genus.

It is far from always possible to trace the history of plant names. This primarily concerns the words of the ancient, primordially Slavic. One can only guess where the common Slavic names of such plants as spruce, aspen, ash, nettle, carrot, horseradish and others came from. And if the word “horseradish” has not changed since the 14th century, then carrots used to be called “marka”, sometimes “carrot”, and nettle - “kopriva”.

Bolotnik - the Russian name of the genus reflects the characteristics of the habitats of plants of this genus. Plants grow in stagnant or slowly flowing water bodies.

Adonis is named after the mythical Greek youth Adonis, from whose blood the flower grew. According to another version, the name comes from the Phoenician sun god Adon, who rises every spring. In the people it is called adonis and "embers on fire" because of the large bright flowers from golden-brown to intense red color.

Aldrovanda - the genus is named after the Italian botanist Ulisse Aldrovandi.

Anhuza - the name of the genus comes from the Latin word anchusa - grimm, cosmetics. The root of the plant contains a red dye used in cosmetics.

Astra - the name comes from the Greek word aster, which means star in translation. The name is given for the shape of the inflorescences.

Astragalus - the Latin name of the word comes from the Greek word astragalos, which means vertebra, ankle and reflects the angularity of the plant's seed.

Periwinkle - in the Latin name of the genus, the Old Latin word vinca is preserved, which means to wrap around. According to another version, the Latin name comes from the verb vincere - to win. When the periwinkle did not have a name, he was very jealous of the fragrant violet. It seemed to him that people held her in high esteem and asked the goddess Flora to make people admire his flowers and have a fragrance. Flora refused to give him the fragrance, as it was not in her power. But she said that she would give him two advantages over violets: his flowers would be larger and he would bloom longer when the violets were already withered. - If you are so merciful to me, Flora, give me a name, - asked the periwinkle.

Flora answered well. - I will give you a name, but it will become an expression of your envious nature. From now on, you will be called "winner-winner"".

Colchicum - this plant received its Russian name due to the amazing biological features of seasonal development (it blooms in late autumn, when it has no leaves). In the Middle Ages, it was also called the son before the father, as it was believed that the seeds appear before the flower. The Latin name of the genus Colchicum comes from the Greek name of the region in Western Georgia - Colchis.

Calla - the Russian name is associated with the structural features of the flower.

Belvalia is the name of the genus in honor of the 16th-century French botanist P.R. Belval, founder of the botanical garden in Montfelier (France).

Bolotnik - the Russian name of the genus reflects the characteristics of the habitats of plants of this genus. Plants grow in stagnant or slowly flowing water bodies.

Bolotnikotsvetnik - the Russian name of the genus is associated with a habitat in water bodies, which gradually overgrow and swamp.

Brandushka - the Latin name of the genus bulbocodium comes from the Greek words balbos - onion and kodion - small skin and, probably, indicates the nature of the protective scales of the corm

Bell - the Latin name of the genus adenophore comes from the Greek words aden - a piece of iron and phoros to wear, which means iron carrier; the ovary of the plant is covered with warty glands. The Russian name of the genus was due to the similarity of the shape of the perianth with a small bell.

Burachok - the Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek words a and lysson - rabies (some species of this genus are used as a remedy for rabies.

Valerian - the generic name comes from the Latin valere, which means to be healthy. According to another version, the name of the genus is of French origin and is associated with the local name Valeria in Panonia (region in France), where this plant comes from.

Vasilek - the Russian name recalls the Ukrainian legend about the young, cheerful and handsome guy Vasil. One day he was walking past midnight home and night was lunar. Vasil saw how mermaids were dancing in the middle of a rye field. He became curious and hid among the ears of a rye field. And beautiful mermaids are closer and closer. Vasil's mind was confused. He forgot his Vasilisa. So he wanted to spin with the mermaids in a round dance. He stood up to his full height. The mermaids saw him. We got excited. The eldest of them got angry and said: "What, Vasil, you sat in the rye for a long time, staring at us, so stay in it forever." Since then, no one has seen Vasil in the village, and cornflowers have grown across the rye field - as if someone had scattered pieces of the clear sky. The plant that appeared was allegedly named after the young man.

The Latin name comes from the Greek word Kentarion and is given in honor of the famous mythical Centaur Chiron. A centaur is a creature with the body of a horse and the torso of a man. Ancient Greek myths claim that Chiron, the centaur teacher, was poisoned by the arrow of Hercules and cured thanks to the juice of a plant that can heal wounds. This plant was named after the recovered centaur. According to another version, the Latin name centaurea (centaurea) is translated as “one hundred yellow flowers”

Watch - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the peculiarity of the flower. Like a traffic light in a swamp, it is clearly visible at dusk and even at night. The plant keeps watch, as if warning of danger - do not walk carefully in the water. In the people, it is often called tripolya or water shamrock. The plant got its name for the complex leaves, which sit in threes on long petioles. The Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek words "menien" - open and "anthos" - a flower.

Lady's slipper - translated from Latin, the name of the genus means "Cypri's slipper" (one of the names of Venus). The bizarre shape of an old slipper is given to the flower by a strongly swollen, pale yellow lip with reddish specks inside.

The loosestrife - the Russian generic name comes from the word willow by the similarity of the shape of loosestrife leaves with the leaves of willows. The Latin name Lysimachia comes from Jeni Lysimachus, king of Thrace and associate of Alexander the Great.

Anemone - the Russian name of the genus, perhaps given because the flowering of the plant coincides with the period of spring winds. At the slightest breath, the flowers on long peduncles begin to move. The Latin genus name Anemone means "daughter of the winds".

Crow's eye - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the color and shape of the fruit - blue-black as the eye of a crow is the only berry.

Vorsyanka - the Russian name is associated with the use of plant seedlings (tufting cone) for tissue napping. In the manufacture of soft cotton fabrics (flanels and velvet) and especially high-quality woolen drapes, pile cones have been indispensable for a long time.

Carnation - the Latin name of the genus Dianthus comes from the Greek words: Di - Zeus, anthos - a flower, which can be translated as a flower of Zeus, or a divine flower. Theophrastus called carnations the flowers of Zeus - centuries later, Carl Linnaeus gave the flower the name Dianthus, i.e. divine flower. It was the Germans who gave the flower the name carnation” - for the similarity of its aroma with the smell of spices, dried clove buds; from German, this designation passed into Polish, and then into Russian. According to another version, in its shape this flower looks like an old hand-forged nail, hence the Russian name. One of the English names for carnations is "gilly-flowers". Some believe that it comes from the French name for the spice of cloves, the fragrance of which is similar to the fragrance of flowers

Geranium - the Russian name of the genus was borrowed at the end of the 18th century from the Latin language, in which the word geranium means crane. Geranium got its name from the shape of the fruit. crane-like beak

Hyacinthus - the name of the genus comes from the word "hyacinth". Plants are reminiscent of appearance hyacinth, just much smaller

Gnezdovka - the Russian name reflects the peculiarity of the structure of the adventitious roots of the rhizome, which are woven into a ball and resemble a "bird's nest" made of twigs.

Gentian - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the presence of bitterness in the roots and leaves of the plant, due to glycosides. The Latin name of the genus gentiana comes from the name of the ancient Greek king Gentius, who first used this plant to treat the plague (167 BC)

Graviat - the Russian name of the genus comes from the Italian word gariofilata, and in Italian from the Latin caryophyllata, which means "clove", literally "nut leaf". The rhizomes were sold in pharmacies under the Latin name radix caryophyllatae "clove root". The Latin generic name is made dependent on the Greek "give to eat, taste", according to its use in food.

Wintergreen - This name wintergreen received for the similarity of leaves with pear leaves (from the Latin pyrus - pear).

Sandman - the Russian generic name was determined by the following feature of the plant: in the daytime it seems wilted as if it were dozing, in the evening the white stars of the dream straighten up and open, spreading the aroma of essential oils.

Dremlik - the generic name Epipactis was given by the "father of botany" to the ancient Greek scientist Theophrastus. When the lower flowers open, there are still many buds in the upper part of the inflorescence, they are lowered down, as if dormant, hence the name of the genus.

Drok is the Old Slavic origin of the genus name. The Russian name comes from the words deru, tear because this plant has thorns. Genista is the Latin name for gorse, possibly but not necessarily related to Celt. gen "shrub". The famous British dynastic family name Plantagenet, who ruled from 1154 to 1399, is etymologically a corruption of the Latin planta genistae "gorse grass". A branch of gorse was worn on his helmet by Count Geoffroy of Anjou, father of the founder of the dynasty, the future King Henry II.

Angelica - the Russian name of the genus reflects the peculiarity of the structure of a hollow stem intercepted by dense nodes. If you cut off the internode together with the knot and then cut it along the entire length, then it will turn into the simplest wind instrument - a pipe.

Ezhegolovnik - the Russian name of the genus reflects the peculiarity of the structure of the inflorescence in the form of a head with spines, resembling a hedgehog.

Jaundice - the Latin name of the genus comes from the ancient Greek word eryomai to help, save.

Larkspur (delphinium) - the name of the genus comes from the Greek word delphirion, such a plant is mentioned by Dioscorides. Delphinion is the flower of Delphic Apollo. According to other sources, this flower was dubbed the delphinium in ancient Greece for the similarity of the buds with the head of a dolphin. Greek legends say that once upon a time in Ancient Hellas there lived an unusually gifted young man who sculpted his deceased beloved from memory and breathed life into the statue. And the gods for such extraordinary audacity turned him into a dolphin. Every evening a dolphin swam to the shore, every evening the girl revived by him approached the shore, but they could not meet. With eyes full of love, she looked into the sea distance, a light breeze swayed the curls of her shiny hair, and the narrow eyebrows of the beauty arched, giving her face an expression of hidden longing. But then the girl started up, her eyes shone: on the shimmering waves she saw a dolphin - in his mouth he held a delicate flower emitting azure light. The dolphin swam majestically and gracefully to the shore and laid a sad flower at the girl's feet, which turned out to be a delphinium flower. According to another version, the plant is named after the Greek city of Delphi at the foot of Parnassus.

The Russian name larkspur reflects the property of this plant to influence the fusion of bones. In the Middle Ages, doctors made lotions from delphinium flowers, supposedly helping to heal bones.

Star fruit - in the Russian name of the genus, the peculiarity of the structure of the fruit is reflected. Fruitlets become stellate procumbent due to the growth of the receptacle.

Iris - The word "iris" in Greek means "rainbow". Also in Greek mythology, the goddess was called, descending along the rainbow to the earth in order to proclaim to people the will of the gods. The name of the plant by the name of this goddess was given by Hippocrates, a Greek physician and naturalist who was engaged in the classification medicinal plants(around the 4th century BC).

Iris as a botanical name appeared in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Previously, the popular name "kasatik" was used, which meant leaves like a braid. This name is widely used even now, and in Ukraine the iris is called “pivnik”, which means “cockerel” in Russian.

Hyssop - the generic name is of ancient Russian origin and is associated with the use of the plant in cleansing sacrifices.

Istod - the Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek word poly many gala milk. In ancient Greece, it was believed that the bitter substances of this plant increase the amount of milk in cattle eating the grass of istod.

Katran - the Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek krambe - cabbage, or from the Greek word krambos - dry, according to the habitat of plants. The Russian name of the genus is of Arabic and Turkish origin from the word katran, which means resin, earth soaked with oil.

Kermek - the Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek word leimon - lawn, clearing, which is associated with the habitat of some species in saline meadows. The Russian name of the genus is borrowed from the Turkic language, which means bitter steppe grass.

Kizlyak (naumburgia) - the Latin name of the genus comes from the name of the German professor Johann Samuil Naumburg (1768-1799), the author of a textbook on botany.

Clausia - in the Russian name of the genus in honor of the Kazan professor Klaus.

Klopovnik - the Russian name of the genus reflects the use of this plant as an insecticide to control bedbugs. The Latin name comes from the Latin words cimex - bug and fugo - drive away.

Kovyl - the Russian name comes from the Slavic word forge - beat, chop. Kovyl means grass that is mowed. Perhaps the origin of the Turkic language kovalik, which means leafless reed. The Latin name of the genus Stipa comes from the Greek word stipe - tow, tow (because of the pubescence of the awns of most species).

Bell - the Russian generic name is determined by the shape of the flower, resembling a bell. The Latin name is from the word campana - ringing.

Kopechnik - the Russian generic name is determined by the feature of the beans, reminiscent of coins. Hence the name kopeck or moneyman. The Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek words hedis aroma - pleasantly smelling, which reflects the odorousness of this plant.

Kopyten - the Russian generic name is determined by the feature of the leaf, resembling a hoof mark.

Crosswort - the Latin name of the genus comes from the word senex - old. Given to plants for their white tufts of seeds, which, by maturation in the mass, are similar to the head of an old man.

Water lily - the Russian name of the genus comes from the word jug, which is associated with the shape of the seed box in the form of a jug. The Latin name comes from the Greek nymph - the bride, as well as the name of the deity, personifying the forces of nature - rivers, valleys, meadows, etc.). Nymphaeum, according to ancient Greek legend, rotted from the body of a beautiful nymph who died of love and jealousy for the young Hercules. The sad nymph, becoming a flower as soon as the sun will rise, begins to peer into the distance: did Hercules appear? Indeed, water lily flowers open at five in the morning, and close around five in the evening. At the same time, its pedicel is shortened and the bud hides under water, where it remains until dawn, reliably protected from the coolness of the night.

Bathing suit - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the characteristics of the flowering of this plant, which falls on Midsummer Day (the beginning of bathing in central Russia). The Latin name of the genus trollius means the flower of a troll, a fabulous forest creature. According to another version, the Latin name comes from the ancient German word troll - a ball, according to the spherical shape of a flower.

Kupena - The scientific name of the genus "polyganatum" comes from the Greek words "poly" - a lot and "drive" - ​​a knot or knee and characterizes the multinodular rhizome of the kupena. The plant is also called Solomon's seal. The origin of this name goes back to the distant past. According to legend, King Solomon marked the kupen with his seal as useful plant, and traces of a seal on its rhizome allegedly survived to this day. The Russian name of the kupena is certainly associated with the type of leaves, when viewed from above, they hide the stem and form, as if hanging in the air, a small stack-kupa. V.I. Dalia for this species is lapena, the foliage is "broader".

Flax - the Latin name of the genus comes from the word linum, which means thread.

Liparis - the generic name comes from the Greek word "liparos" - oily because of the oily sheen of the leaves.

Clematis - the Russian name of the genus is due to the strong, spicy smell of flowers, which causes irritation of the nasal mucosa.

Onion - the Latin name of the genus "Allium" comes from the ancient Celtic word "all", which means "burning" in translation. Plants have a specific smell, burning taste and contain volatile essential oils.

Lyubka - the Latin name of the genus Platanthera comes from the Greek words "platis" - wide, "antera" - pollen sac. The Russian name "lyubka" is due to the fact that in the past healers prepared a "love potion" from the tubers of this plant.

Maykaragan - the name comes from the Greek words callo - beautiful and faka - bean. The Russian name reflects the time of flowering.

Maynik - the Russian generic name is given according to the time of flowering: the May flower.

Juniper

Rejuvenated - The Latin name of the genus comes from the words semper - always vivus - alive, by the property of the leaf rosettes of these plants to maintain viability in extreme conditions of existence.

Euphorbia - the Russian generic name is associated with the peculiarity of secreting milky juice. The Latin name euphorbia is given in honor of the court physician of the Numidian king Eufort, who first used spurge for treatment.

Muscari - the Latin name given for the smell of flowers, reminiscent of the smell of musk.

Mytnik - the origin of the Russian name of the genus has two explanations: the first is connected with the old word myto - to file, pay, reward. Fruits - boxes filled with seeds resembling coins; the other is connected with the word myt or wash - the name of an indefinite illness.

Nagolovatka - the Latin name of the genus is given by the name of Louis Urirne, a Genevan professor of medicine in the 18th century.

Norichnik - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the use of these plants as a remedy for pets from the noritsa disease. The term noritsa comes from the word nora - an ulcer, the expression of the withers of horses has now fallen out of use, remaining in the name of the plant. The plant is called pig from the Latin word scrofularia - mumps, goiter. This name is given because of the similarity of the tubers of the plant with tumors of the glands and their use as a drug against mumps.

Sedge - the Russian name of the genus comes from the Slavic word osechi, which means to cut. Narrow and sharp leaves of sedges can injure an arm or a leg; such rigidity of sedge leaves arises from the presence of silica in them. The Latin name of the genus came, according to one version, from the Greek word reiro - to cut; according to another version, from the Latin word carere, which means "not to have anything, to be absent." Such a name could arise because spike-shaped inflorescences with staminate flowers do not form fruits.

sedum

Dactyl root - the Russian and Latin name is associated with the shape of palmate-separate tubers.

Primrose - the Russian and Latin name is associated with the peculiarity of the plant to bloom one of the first in early spring.

Peony - the Greek philosopher Theophrastus gave the name to Rold after the name of the mythical doctor of the gods Peon.

Wormwood fly - bitterness. The plant was named for its inherent bitterness. In the explanation of the Latin name of the genus, there are two versions: according to one, the name of the genus is given by the name of Queen Helicarnassus - Artemisia, the wife of King Mausolus; another name refers to the Greek goddess of fertility Artemis, given the medicinal properties of these plants.

Backache (sleep-grass) - a peculiar property of plants to sway in the wind with jerks served as the basis for the Latin name of the plant from the word "pulsare" - to push, pulsate. And the Russian name speaks for itself - a cure for backache. Sleep-grass The Russian name of the plant is associated with the peculiarity of the flowers, which are tilted, as if they fell asleep, dozed off. There is another mythical explanation for the name of this plant. People who got to the clearing in the evening allegedly fall asleep from the fumes of the plant. Although it is poisonous, they do not have such an effect on people.

Poultry farmer - the Latin name Ornithogalum is borrowed from Dioscarides (literally in Greek ornithos - a bird, gals - milk). According to Bogan, the color of the flowers is similar to that of a hen's egg.

Pemphigus - the Russian name of the genus was due to the presence of trapping vesicles in plants located on the leaves.

Pupavka - the Latin name anthemis comes from the ancient Greek name for chamomile.

Pushitsa - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the peculiarity of the structure of spikelets, which at the end of summer are shrouded in silky fluff of ripened fruits. Fluffy heads are called puffs.

Wheatgrass - the Russian name of the genus comes from the verb "pyryat" - to shove. But there are mighty rhizomes that grow surprisingly quickly, capturing living space underground. They are rooting cultivated plants deprive them of moisture and food. It is not for nothing that our peasants called the formidable weed a creeping root and sucking grass, and botanists - the fire of the fields (this is how the scientific name of wheatgrass is translated from Greek - agropyron). He really, like a fire, burns his neighbors in the fields thanks to the active substance - agropyrene, which is rich in rhizome. Released into the soil, it delays the germination of seeds of cultivated plants and their further development.

Rindera - the genus is named after A. Rinder, who lived in Moscow.

Rdest - the name of the genus is borrowed from the Polish language and comes from the word rdet, which means to blush.

Hazel grouse - the Russian name of the genus corresponds to the color (variegated, pockmarked). The Latin name of the genus Fritillaria comes from the word "fritillus" - a chessboard and is given because of the variegated color of the flowers. According to another version, the name of the word comes from the word "fritillus", which means a glass for throwing dice. The shape of the flower really resembles such a glass.

Sabelnik - the Russian name of the genus comes from the old Russian word shabolit or shabelit - to sway, sway

Saltpeter - the name of the plant was given by Gottlieb Schober from the Latin word nitrum - saltpeter, indicating its distribution near bitter-salty lakes.

Smolevka - in the origin of the Latin name of the genus, there are the following versions: the first is associated with the Greek word sialon - saliva, for the sticky stems of some species; according to another version, the name is associated with the name of the Greek god, the companion of Bacchus Silenos - a fat satyr for swollen cups of some species; the third is connected with the Greek word silene - the moon, for the flowering of certain species of the genus at night.

Asparagus - the Latin name of the genus Asparagus comes from the ancient Greek word, which means to tear, scratch; and is associated with sharp spines in some plant species.

Spirea - from the Greek word speira - "wreath "

Tahtajaniata -

Trinia - the plant is named after the famous 19th-century botanist K.A. Trinius

Yarrow - the Latin name given in honor of Achilles - the mythical hero of the Trojan War, according to legend, his mentor Chiron treated wounds with this plant. The Russian name of the genus is associated with a large dissection of the leaf blade.

Tulip - the Russian name of the genus is of Persian origin and means "turban", "turban" and is given in the form of flowers resembling a turban.

Chernogolovka - the Russian name of the genus is given for the inflorescences darkening after flowering. The name Prunella, formerly also Brunella, has several interpretations. According to one version, this is a latinization of the ancient Dutch name of the plant bruynelle, indicating the brown color of faded corollas. According to another, from the German "tonsillitis, diphtheria", in the treatment of which types of blackheads were used. According to the third (least likely), the name comes from lat. pruna "burning coal, heat", by the similarity of the color of burning coal and sore throat

Chilim (rogulnik) - the plant is not in vain called a rogulnik. Mature drupes have hard, curved “horns”. With them, a water chestnut, like an anchor, clings to irregularities at the bottom. In some places, chilim is called a devil's nut. Indeed, one can see in the fruits a resemblance to the horned head of a devil.

Corydalis - the Latin name of the genus corydalis comes from the Greek word coris> - a helmet. The flower of the plant resembles a helmet.

Tsingeria - the generic name is associated with the name of V. Ya. Tsinger, professor at Moscow University, author of the famous Collection of Information on the Flora of Central Russia (1885).

Sage - the Russian name of the genus is a modification of the Latin word salvare - to be healthy. The reason for this is the medicinal properties of the plant.

Shiverekia - the Russian name of the genus is given in honor of the Polish florist Shiverek.

Skullcap - Latin name comes from the word scultellum a small shield and is given for the shape of the calyx appendage.

Skewer (gladiolus) - the name comes from the Latin word gladus - a sword and is given in the form of skewer leaves. The word gladiolus is Greek, and for us it is not motivated, i.e. it is not clear why the flower is so named. The flower also has a popular name - skewer. Now guess why he got such a name? Yes, its leaves are long, narrow, sticking out like sharp swords. We easily guessed the origin of this name, because it is Russian, a derivative. And it does not matter in this case that the root is foreign. The word sword was borrowed in the 17th century. through the Polish language from Italian, but goes back to the Greek spathe in the meaning of "thigh", "sword". If in Greek the sword was called spathe, then in Latin its name is gladius. From this root the gladiator (gladiator) and gladiolus (gladiolus literally means "small sword") are formed.

Ash - the Russian name of the genus is associated with the similarity of the leaves of this plant with ash. On windless days, the essential oils surrounding this plant can be set on fire, they burn out almost instantly, and the ash-tree itself remains unharmed - hence the other name of this plant came from - burning kupena. The scientific name of the genus Dictamnus comes from the Greek words Dicte - the name of one of the mountains of Crete, and thamnos - "shrub".

Woodruff (asperula) - The scientific name of the genus Asperula comes from the Latin word asper - "rough" (by the type of stems). The Russian generic name "jasmine" (jasminnik) is related to the word "jasmine" and is explained by the similarity of the smells of both plants.

Yatryshnik - the name of the genus comes from the Old Russian word "yatro". A plant of this genus have rounded underground tubers resembling a core. Probably, the plants were called "kernel", and then the letter "d" changed to "t". According to another version, the name of the plant is interpreted as "jatrov flower". The word yatrov means the husband's brother's wife, sister-in-law. A plant of this genus has rounded underground tubers resembling balls-nucleoli. Probably, the plants were called "kernel", and then the letter "d" changed to "t".

The Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek "orchis" - an egg (the root tubers of the plant have this shape).

Unlike the vast majority of other spiders, etymology has one very significant drawback: too many consider themselves competent in this area. The etymology of words often captivates people who have a rather vague idea of ​​linguistics. And the less prepared one or another amateur is linguistically, the more categorically he usually expresses his judgments about the most complex etymological problems.

If, for example, you have difficulty distinguishing a ruff from a pike, then you must think that you will never risk putting forward any new hypothesis regarding the problems of ichthyology *. Without having the appropriate knowledge, no one will dare to express their opinions on the most complex issues of nuclear physics, mathematics, and chemistry.

* (Ichthyology is the branch of zoology that studies fish.)

As a matter of fact, everyone who wants to express their opinions about the origin of words. In this regard, etymology can only be compared with meteorology or with ... football, where there are, perhaps, no less “specialists” to predict the weather or the result of a match than amateur etymologists.

On folk etymology. Usually people begin their "etymological studies" already in early childhood. Such childish formations as buzzer (alarm clock), planer (planer), digger (shovel), mallet (hammer), mazeline (vaseline) and others, caused by a natural desire to somehow comprehend every incomprehensible word, are typical not only for childhood. Take these examples of word twists in folk dialects, How spinzhak (jacket), semi-clinic (polyclinic), semi-garden (front garden) etc. In all these cases, incomprehensible elephants of foreign origin were "corrected" and "adjusted" to some well-known Russian words and roots: the word jacket → spinzhak was associated with the back, polyclinic → semi-clinic is "half a clinic", and front garden → semi-garden - "half a garden".

The ancient Romans called such etymological comparisons "bull" or "cow" etymology. Since "etymologies" of this kind often arose among the people, these false interpretations later received the name "folk etymology" (as opposed to scientific etymology). The very term folk etymology not entirely successful. Firstly, it shows a somewhat dismissive attitude towards the people, which for many centuries was cut off from the development of science. Secondly (and most importantly), a significant part of the "folk etymologies" did not originate in the folk environment at all.

So, for example, back in the 18th century, academician and philologist V.K. Trediakovsky wrote that the name of the ancient inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula Ibera is a distorted word upers, since they are geographically located on all sides stubborn seas. Britannia, according to Trediakovsky, this is a distorted fraternization(from the word Brother), the Scythians are sketes(from wander), Turks - from yurki(cf. nimble"fast, agile"), etc. Therefore, here we are faced with "folk etymology" at the highest (academic!) level. And the people here have absolutely nothing to do with it. It's just that at the time of Trediakovsky, etymology had not yet formed as a science, and this provided wide scope for all sorts of unbridled fantasies.

Instead of a term folk etymology some scholars prefer to use expressions false etymology or naive etymology. But these terms are even less successful. First, and scientific etymology can be false. And secondly, not every folk etymology has to be necessarily naive. For example, at least one of the two etymologies we have considered for the word bride is definitely false. But both of them, undoubtedly, are among the scientific etymologies and do not contain anything naive in themselves. "Folk etymology" is always false, but not every false etymology is at the same time "folk". That is why one of these terms cannot be replaced by another.

Deetymologization and folk etymology. The essence of folk etymology can only be understood if we remember what was discussed in the previous chapter.

Words in their development gradually lose their ancient etymological connections, or, in other words, become de-etymologized. Thus, they become incomprehensible etymologically. Scientific etymology establishes the true origin of the analyzed word, relying on those methods of comparative historical research with which we are now familiar. In other words, scientists restore the most ancient stages in the history of the word available to them, simultaneously attracting material from related languages.

In contrast, folk etymology does not reconstruct the lost etymological connections, but tries to explain the origin of the word, based on the current state of the language for the author of the etymology. As a rule, such "etymologies" do not contain any scientific argumentation. They rely only on a coincidence or even on a very remote similarity in the sound of words.

The discrepancy between scientific and folk etymology is clearly seen in the case of the origin of the Russian word otter*. Scientists have restored its ancient form * udra[udra], found a large number of matches in related languages ​​and explained the original meaning of the word otter associated with the meaning "aquatic, watery".

* (With the story about this word, as you remember, our acquaintance with the science of etymology began.)

Folk etymological interpretation of the origin of the word otter(from tear out) fundamentally contradicts the facts of the history of the language, it is in no way connected with ideas about the relationship of languages ​​and related correspondences. This explanation relies only on the consonance of words otter And tear out, supported by a witty, but absolutely fantastic argument of a semantic nature. In addition, a comparative historical analysis of the word otter shows that its occurrence belongs to the era when prefixed formations of the type you-tear were not yet productive at all in the Indo-European languages.

Etymology and archeology. In many places, and especially in the steppe zone of our homeland, ancient burial mounds, impressive in size, rise. There is such a mound near the village, and no one knows who and when he poured it. And around such a mound a legend arises.

They say that in ancient times - a hundred years, and maybe two hundred years ago - her beloved dog died at the mistress's. From morning to night the mistress shed bitter tears, mourning her inconsolable grief. And in the village of that there were then soldiers waiting. They felt sorry for the mistress, who was killing herself over her dog. They dug a grave near the village, buried that dog according to the Christian custom, and began to wear earth right in their hats on the place where the grave was. They wore it for a long time - until a huge barrow grew in that place ...

This legend has its continuation, however, already taken from real life. One day archaeologists came to the mound and began to conduct archaeological excavations. And they found under this mound not a dog at all, but a rich burial of a Scythian leader, who was buried here not a hundred or even two hundred, but two and a half thousand years ago ...

We observe the same picture in the history of many words. Folk etymology is the same legend that tries to explain the incomprehensible facts of the distant past with close and understandable phenomena of the modern language. And etymologists, as a result of a kind of "archaeological excavation", establish that the origins of a word we do not understand go far back into the depths of centuries, and in many cases, in the place of the etymological "dog", they find traces of such deep antiquity, from which even legends and legends have not been preserved for a long time. legends.

Folk and children's etymology."Enough for you secrets speak! secretary which!"

"We go to walk, - We truants!"

These and other examples given below, taken from K. I. Chukovsky's book "From Two to Five", are indicative in many respects. First of all, in children's comparisons, the main features of folk etymology are most clearly drawn. Secondly, the erroneousness of children's etymology does not raise any doubts, and the disclosure of an error, as a rule, does not require detailed and complex explanations. Finally, here it is easier than in other cases to isolate Various types folk etymology.

In examples with words secretary And truant etymological connection with secret And walk was installed, in general, correctly. Only in the first case this connection is not direct and it can be revealed only on the material of the French (and ultimately Latin) language, from which these words were borrowed: secret[secre`] means "mystery, secret" and "secret, secret", a secretaire[secrete`r] - "desk, bureau (with secret compartments)" and "scribe, secretary". Thus, the error in this case was that the words secret And secretary (secretary) indeed, interconnected by a long chain of intermediate etymological links, they were put in a direct etymological connection, which these words do not have.

A different picture is observed in the case of the words walk And truant. Here the main mistake is of a semantic nature. Relationship between words walk, truant, truant and saunter no one doubts. But the words truant and truant have a special semantic coloring: they do not refer to those who walk or stroll, but only to people who, for disrespectful reasons, do not come to work or study. And truants just quite rare strolling. If a truant sleeps during working hours, sits in a movie or reads a detective novel, he does not cease to be truant(this word, as we see, has undergone partial de-etymologization).

Etymological errors of a different order are observed in cases quitter- "a person who makes boats" or specialist- "a person who likes to sleep" * . This also includes the examples discussed above with the words altar- "inhabitant of Altai" and hawker- "uncle who looks after young ladies." In all these cases, the words between which an etymological connection is supposed, in fact, in terms of their origin, have nothing in common with each other.

* (These examples are also taken from the book by K. I. Chukovsky.)

"Special" - a person who likes to sleep

No matter how convincing the word-formation series looks:

The last case clearly does not belong to this series. The word special is short for specialist. And the last word - in the end - goes back to Latin specialis[in medieval pronunciation: specialis] "special, special", in turn associated with the Latin words species[spe`kies] "kind, variety" and specio[spe`kio] "I see, I look." Thus, sleep And specialist Etymologically, they are completely unrelated.

* (Compare: And the Swiss, and the reaper, and the player on the pipe (about the master of all trades).)

Folk etymology and distortion of words. In all the examples just considered from children's etymology, one or another explanation of the origin of the word did not lead, however, to its distortion. But not in all cases the word lends itself to folk etymological interpretation in the form in which it exists in the language. And since you still want to explain an incomprehensible word, distortions such as kopatka or mazelin were often introduced into it, which are far from characteristic of children's language alone.

Examples with the words spinzhak, semi-clinic, semi-garden are of the same type. But even these dialect and vernacular (non-literary) forms do not exhaust all examples of this kind. Moreover, folk etymological changes in words can be observed even in the literary language, and such cases are by no means rare.

The Old Russian word svdtel was formed from the verb vdti "to know" and it meant a person who knows something. At present, we are not talking about a witness, but a witness, and we associate this word not with the verb to know, but with see, perceiving it in the meaning of "eyewitness" (one who saw something).

The Latin verb vagari [vagari] "to wander" had a suffixal derivative vagabundus [vagabundus] "wandering", which in Italian gave vaga-bondo [vagabbndo], and in Spanish - vagabundo [vagabundo] "tramp". Rare suffix -bundo in Spanish was "corrected" to -mundo, and the word vagamundo began to be perceived as complex, formed from vagar [vagar] "to roam" and mundo [mundo] "peace, light". So, as a result of a folk etymological change, the Spanish word vagamundo acquired the meaning "wandering around the world."

When considering the etymology of various words, scientists constantly have to keep in mind the possibility of this kind of folk etymological rethinking, which often makes research very difficult, because they replace real ancient etymological connections with secondary, far-fetched ones.

"I am Ra!" Nowhere, perhaps, has folk etymology become so widespread as in the interpretation of proper names. For example, a university student begins to study Latin. In one of the first classes, he learns that the word ira[i`ra] means "anger" in Latin. And immediately tries to connect this word with the Russian name Ira, Irina, "explaining" the latter by the meaning of the Latin word. In fact, the name Irina was borrowed from Greek, where the word eirene[eyre`ne, in modern Greek pronunciation: iri`ni] means "peace". This word was used by the ancient Greeks as a proper name (Eirene - Irina - the name of the goddess of the world).

Curious "etymology" of the name of the ancient Spartan king Menelaus was proposed by one of the Russian authors in the 19th century. Since King Menelaus always cursed with everyone, he was often told me(= me) don't bark"Do not yell at me" (?!). This is where the name supposedly came from.

Menelaus - "do not scold me"

At every step, such "etymologies" are encountered in the explanation of geographical names. Many toponyms are distinguished by exceptional antiquity. Some of them have long lost etymological connections in the language, others never had these connections, since they were borrowed from other languages. But the desire to somehow explain these incomprehensible names often led to the appearance of the most ridiculous "etymologies" and even entire legends, often "supported" by references to actual historical events.

Where did the name of the city come from Kolomna? They say that Father Sergius once blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy not far from this city. After the blessing, Father Sergius went to Kolomna, but for some reason the inhabitants of the city drove him away, and even threatened him with stakes. “I am kind to them, and they are stabbing me (me),” Sergius later complained. From this stake me and the name was given to the city Kolomna.

Another equally fantastic example of this type is the "etymology" of the name of the river and the city Samara(modern city of Kuibyshev).

According to legend, a small river ran from east to west, and from the north, the mighty river Ra (the ancient name of the Volga river) rushed its waves across it. “Step aside!” the big river shouts to the small river, “make way for me: after all, I am Ra!”

"And I herself - Ra", - the river calmly answers and continues its run to the west.

Two streams collided with each other - and the majestic river Ra gave way to its small rival: it was also forced to turn its course to the west. From words Ra herself and named the river Samara, and at the point of collision formed the Volga - Ra Samara bow (bend).

In a similar way, folk etymology tried to explain, for example, the names of rivers Yakhroma And Vorskla. The first name was allegedly received from the exclamation of the wife of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, who twisted her leg while crossing this river and exclaimed: "I'm lame!" The legend associates the second name with the name of Peter I. Looking through a telescope, the tsar dropped a lens into the water. Attempts to find "glass" ( slope) were unsuccessful. Since then, the river has been called Warehouse thief("glass thief").

Of course, all these legends have nothing to do with the actual origin of the respective toponyms. But they are important in another way. The considered examples show how closely folk etymology is connected with oral folk art - folklore. Many tales and legends arose in a similar way - as a result of an attempt at an etymological understanding of incomprehensible words and names.

We have already met with such phenomena on the example of the origin of the name of the ancient Greek "foam-born" goddess Aphrodite and Athens Tritogeny. Similar examples can be found in the oral folk art of any country. Researches of etymologists, directed towards the study of the peculiarities of folk etymology, allow a new light on the most complex problems associated with the ancient origins of oral folk art.

Anger and fire. In all the examples so far considered, the difference between folk and scientific etymology has always stood out with sufficient clarity. Unfortunately, however, there are many cases where it is not possible to draw a more or less clear line between these two seemingly different types of etymological explanations.

Some of the etymologies proposed by the Roman grammarian Varro for a long time belonged to the category of folk. More careful research has shown, however, that these explanations by Varro are supported by scientific analysis.

In the reasoning of one of the heroes of M. Gorky - Matvey Kozhemyakin - there is an idea that the word anger is connected in its origin with the word fire. As an example confirming this etymology, Matvey Kozhemyakin refers to the verb to fire, in which he considers the prefix o- as part of the root fire (fire). The folk-etymological nature of this explanation is absolutely indisputable.

But relatively recently, the Soviet etymologist V.V. Martynov put forward the same idea already as a scientific hypothesis. One of the main arguments of the author is also the word fire - only in its more ancient form. V. V. Martynov gave interesting arguments in favor of his point of view, and, despite its controversy, this etymology must now be considered already; like a scientific hypothesis.

The example with the word anger shows how conditional the boundaries between folk and scientific etymology can be. In some cases, the etymology, which for a long time was considered folk, may eventually receive universal scientific recognition. And, conversely, an etymology that appears as a scientific one may actually turn out to be an undisclosed folk etymology.

"Goodbye meat!" How difficult it is sometimes to decide whether a particular etymology belongs to the folk etymology can be judged by the example of the origin of the word carnival. In Russian, this word came (through French mediation) from the Italian language.

Initially, the Italian spring festival, similar to the Russian Shrovetide, was called carnival. This holiday was accompanied by various street processions, masquerades, mass dances, cheerful theatrical games. Since this holiday took place before the start of the fast, during which the Christian religion forbade the eating of meat, the origin of the Italian carnevale[karneva`le] "carnival" has long been associated with the words carne[ka`rne] "meat" and vale[wa`le] "goodbye" * .

* (Wed Pushkin in "Eugene Onegin": "At the end of the letter put vale ..." The word vale has the same meaning in Latin and in Italian.)

At first glance, we have a typical folk etymology. This explanation is very similar, for example, to the etymology Montevideo- from montem video"I see a mountain" or Menelaus- from "Don't bark me." A number of highly respected scholars have declared the etymology came vale"farewell, meat!" erroneous folk etymology. Instead, another explanation was offered for the origin of the word.

For a long time - even at the festivities dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Greek god Dionysus - a prominent place during the solemn procession was given to a cart shaped like a ship or boat. latin words carrus navalis[ka`rrus nava`lis] literally means: "ship (or sea) wagon". The ancient tradition survived in Italy until the 18th century, when noble Italian women still went to the carnival in this kind of "sea carts" *. Therefore, according to this explanation, the Italian word carnevale derived from carrus navalis(or, more precisely, from a later form of these words: carro-navale).

* (And now this kind of "cart" can be found at carnivals in Latin America.)

However, no matter how tempting the latter interpretation looks, it cannot be accepted as indisputable. Firstly, numerous monuments of Latin writing do not give us a single example with a combination of words carrus navalis. The Italians, too, as far as we know, never called their carnival "sea carts" the words carro navale. All this is just the assumptions of scientists.

Secondly, the connection of the words carnival or carnival with the meaning "meat" is found not only in Italian. Greek apocreos[apo`creos] "carnival, carnival" has a very clear etymology: aro-- a prefix meaning removal, separation or termination, and kreos(or kreas) "meat". Word meat-empty"Shrovetide" is well known in various Slavic languages, and its etymology is again associated with "meat".

True, here the matter did not go off, apparently, without ka`lek. But if we accept the etymology of Italian carnevale, which raises this word to carrus navalis, then you have to recognize the Greek apocreos and Slavic meat-empty tracing papers from a reinterpreted Latin (or Italian) word. And this already looks extremely implausible. In short, the question of whether etymology is carnevale"farewell, meat!" popular or not, still cannot be considered definitively decided.

Thus, folk etymology is not just a set of absurd and naive explanations for the origin of various words, but a complex phenomenon that often puts the researcher involved in the history of the word in a difficult position. The action of folk etymology has left numerous traces in the language. Moreover, these traces in a number of cases turned out to be so imperceptibly "disguised" that scientists are not always able to distinguish folk etymology from the true one. All this creates certain difficulties in the work of etymologists, forces language researchers to attract new and new material, allowing them to penetrate into the innermost secrets of ancient word creation.

Introduction

The etymology of the word "spider" is interesting because in most languages ​​it is associated with the word "yarn", "spinning", "spinning".
First, the ancient Greek legend of Arachne.
Arachne
The legend of Arachne is part of the myth of Athena.
According to legend, Arachne tried to compete with Athena in the art of spinning, for which she was turned into a spider-Arachne by Athena.
The name of Arachne is the key to the legend.
Arachne - Araxna - parax [n] a - spinner (pra-Slav.) (omission p).

Etymology

The etymology of the word "spider" and "spinner" is carried out according to my method.

Arachnoid (Arachnoidea) prjach-vidnea - sprite-like (glorious) (skipping p, replacing v / n)
kloto - > prjaxat - hide (slav.) (skipping p, changing k / l, reducing x / k), more
kloto - > kudel - kudel (glor.) (transition l / t, reduction d / t)
spider - pauk > pajka / prjaxa - soldering / spinning (glor.) (replacement j / r) from the floating Nostratic root p-k- fart. (glory.) (in the sense of “knit”, not to be confused with the interjection “bunch!”), the derivative p-j-k / p-r-x is soldering / spinning.
araneus - spider (lat.) > paragnj - yarn (glor.) (omission p, g)
spider - spider (English) > spi-der > prjaga-tel / del - spinner / yarn-made (glor.) (inv. spi, omission r, replacement j / i, reduction t / d, l / r
spinner - spinner (English) > prjagnaj - yarn (glor.) (inv. spi, replacement j / r)
spinne - spider (German) > prjagnnj - yarn (glory) (inv. spi, omission r, replacement j / i)
spinaerin spinner (German) > prjagnaj-delanj - yarn making (glor.) (reduction l / r, skip d)
cabweb - web (English) > bechevca/verevca - twine / rope (glor.) (inv. cabweb, replacement ch/w, reduction v/b; inv. cabweb, reduction v/b, replacement r/w)
airaignee - spider (fr.) > araxa > prjaxa - spinner (glor.) (reduction x / gn, derived from Greek Arach
fileur - spin (fr.) > viljanj / vejanj - twisted / winnowed (glor.) (inv. v / f, replacement n / u; replacement j / l), where “spun” is a thread.
eankbut - spider (arab.) > preax-paut - spin of the web (glor.) (skip p, replace r / n, reduce x / k, p / b)
alg hazal - spinner (Arabic) > prjalka kozij - goat spinning wheel (wool) (glor.) (omission pr, reduction k/g, k/h, replacement j/l)
;r;mcek – spider (Turk.) > prjadilchik – spinner (glor.) (inv. ;r;m, reduction p/m, ch/c, replacement d/;, omission l)
topa; - spin (Turk.) > shtopka - darning (glor.) (omission sh, reduction k /;)
urna - spider (Sansk.) > purjagnaj - yarn (glor.) (omission p, j, g)
prajan - spinner, birth (Sansk.) > prjagenj - spinning (glor.) (omission g)
h; ma h; kki - spider (fin.) > am paukki - am spider (glor.) (omission p), where "am" is a devourer
kehr;;j; - spin (fin.) > kudhelaaja - tow (glor.) (omission d, reduction l / r)
makadee - spider (Chin.) > mat-kudel - mother-kudel (glor.) (replacement l / e), here it looks like Hebrew or Arabic with the prefix ma-.
spinar - spinner (Chin.) > prjagnaj - yarn (Slav.)
pok - spider (Hung.) > pauk - spider (Slav.)
legcsavarkup - spinner (Hungarian) > puk - prajagkij - bunch of buckles (glor.) (inv. legcsavarkup, omission p, reduction g/sc, k/g, replacement j/l)
I don’t exactly guarantee the reliability of the translation from the Hebrew alphabet of the words “spider” and “yarn”, but something like this turns out:
ayin-kaf-bet-yod-shin (Hebrew letters) > aikbish / ajkabish - spider (Heb.) > pajk-prjash - spider yarn (glor.) (reduction p / b, replacement j / i, omission p, r)
tet-vav-nun-hey (Hebrew letters) > tevanukh / tevanux - spinner (Hebrew) > deva nitki - virgin thread (glor.) (reduction d / t, k / x, omission t)
spy - spy (eng.) > prjatanj - hiding (inv. spi, skipping r, replacing j / y, reducing t / s,
spion - spy (German) > prjatanj - hiding, hidden (glor.) (inv. spi, omission r, replacement j / i, reduction t / s)
It would seem that the word "spy" is a common root with "spider", but the replacement t / s forms a new word "hiding" close in meaning to the behavior of a spider, but not with its function of "spinning a web".

Abbreviations

SPI - A Word about Igor's Campaign
PVL - The Tale of Bygone Years
SD - Dahl dictionary
SF - Fasmer's Dictionary
SIS - dictionary of foreign words
TSE - Dictionary Efremova
TSOSH - explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov, Shvedov
CRS - dictionary of Russian synonyms
BTSU - Ushakov's big explanatory dictionary
SSIS - collection dictionary of foreign words
MAC - small academic dictionary of the Russian language
VP - Wikipedia
EBE - Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
TSB - the great Soviet encyclopedia
SK - Krylov's etymological dictionary

1. V. N. Timofeev “Methodology for finding Slavic roots in foreign words”, http://www.tezan.ru/metod.htm

Reviews

There is also the word ARKAN - a rope with a loop at the end
This word came to our language from the Turkic language.
Literally translated ROPE.
Well, the word ROPE is already directly related to WEAVING and, accordingly, to SPINNING.
There is also the word PARKS - the ancient Roman goddesses of fate, who SPIN the human thread of fate.
Quite possibly this is a modified word SPINNING.

But I wonder what is the nature of the origin of the word SPINNING or YARN, SPINNING, SPINNING
And why in these obviously single-root words, the root begins to "jump" like that! Somewhere SPRING, somewhere STRAIGHT, and somewhere SPRING!

If you still go further, I personally think that there is some connection with the Turkic word BUR - "turn, turn, turn, rotate"
In principle, the combination of VER, VOR is also present in our words, but they are already "overgrown" with abundant suffixes and prefixes, and in a separate version this meaning of the word is absent.

THREAD and BAND! Yes, there is clearly a single chain!
But still it is very possible that the translations NINTH and TENTH are not a coincidence.
Perhaps there are two parallel semantic levels of understanding. Although it is possible and even they can also be connected. In English, TEN - TEN. TEN - read backwards. It turns out practically a THREAD.
It turns out a kind of peculiar bunch DECIMA - BAND; TEN - THREAD.
Somehow, the number 10 is related to WEAVING. Perhaps because the number 10 is a kind of transition to a new level? It is necessary to see how the word THREAD in other languages. Are there still sound intersections between the words THREAD and TEN?

Each word has its own history, which is called etymology. Etymological analysis clarifies from which language this or that name came, what is its meaning, what spelling it had, how it changed over the centuries. Words with history can reflect any field: science, social area, life. Today we will talk about the appearance of color names.

Colors surround us everywhere: whether it's the blue of a clear sky or the black color of a car. Words that define a particular color shade have long come into use. Red, white, blue, green, orange, purple - words that are heard. Everyone knows what these words mean, but few can say that they are familiar with their origin.

White color.

White color is recognized as the most ancient. The word for it has the Indo-European root "bra" or "bre" meaning "shine, shine, shine." And, indeed, White color often associated with the concept of "light". For many peoples, snow-white shades symbolize light, purity, innocence.

Black color.

Black color, oddly enough, is associated with the sea. This word comes from the old Russian Pont, the Pontic Sea. The Pontic Sea is the ancient name of the Black Sea. So, our ancestors determined the color by the appearance of the body of water, which often seemed dark, gloomy. By the way, the word "black" is also associated with the ancient Iranian "dark".

Red color.

The word "red" is common Slavic in origin. It is formed from the word "beauty" and was used at first as "good, beautiful." It was only after the 16th century that "red" began to symbolize the brightest color in the color spectrum. Red has many shades.

Crimson color.

Crimson color or crimson is associated with the Old Russian "bagar", meaning "red paint, red color". There are 3 versions regarding the history of the word "crimson". One version suggests that this word has the prefix "ba" and the root of "burn", that is, the red color is associated with the flame. The second hypothesis connects the word "bugar" with the ancient word "bagno", which means "mud, swamp". Do not be surprised. The water in the swampy area is dirty red, rusty, so ancient people associated the red color with the swamp. The third assumption is based on the borrowing of the word "bugar" from the eastern part of the Mediterranean. From there they brought a red dye, which gave the name to the crimson color.

Red color.

So our ancestors called the color red. "Red" and "scarlet" have a common root with the verb "worms", meaning "to paint red." In turn, "wormy" is based on the word "worm". The fact is that earlier red paint was obtained from a special kind of worms.

Scarlet color.

The word "scarlet" is of Turkic origin. It meant bright red, light pink color. Some linguists associate "scarlet" with the Arabic word "alaw" - "flame", as well as with the Georgian "ali".

Pink color.

The word "pink" has Polish-Ukrainian roots ("rozhevy", "roz†owy"). It came from the name of the corresponding flower "rose".

Green color.

"Green" is associated with the ancient "zel" ("green"). In the Old Russian language, the noun “zel” functioned in the meaning of “greens, grass, young winter”. The same root is in the familiar words "cereal, potion, ash, gold, yellow."

Yellow.

As already mentioned, the word "yellow" has a common root with the words "green", "gold", "ash". No one would have guessed that gold, green and yellow colors are “relatives”.

Orange color.

The word "orange" came to us from French. The suffix -ev- was added to the borrowed "orange" on the Russian platform. "Orange" in translation - orange, that is Orange color- orange color.

Blue.

The origin of the word "blue" is rather vague. Blue color is considered to be derived from the word "dove". The color of these birds picked up the exact name - "blue". It turns out that before the blue color was positioned as a gray, and not light blue. They clarified the shade of blue only by the 18th century, before that no one could say for sure what it was.

Blue color.

"Blue" is related to the word "shine", so the original meaning is "sparkling, shining". Researchers met the word "blue" in the meaning of "black", "dark". Remember the expression "blue-black"? Blue color acquired a modern meaning under the influence of the sea, sparkling under the rays of the sun and the color of the sky with the sun shining on it.

Purple.

The history of the word "purple" has a long history. It came to us in the 18th century from the Polish language (fioletowy). The word "purple" came to Poland from the German (violet). The German version migrated from the French language, and the French "violet" goes back to the Latin word "viola", which means "violet, violet."

This is how the names of the colors appeared. All of them arose on the basis of objects and phenomena that gravitate towards these colors. So, white color is associated with brilliance and light, "black" - with the dark sea, "red" - with beauty, green and yellow colors - with grass, greenery, "orange" - with the color of orange, blue shades - with the color of doves, "blue" is associated with radiance, purple - with the color of violet.