CRITICAL POST: Ancient words from 3,000 – 1,200 BCE in modern English:
First the ancient words in modern English, and in the next two posts, how words infiltrate from earlier to diachronically close later languages. These posts are real eye-openers, explaining how words from earlier languages trickle into later, e.g. Akkadian and Sanskrit into Linear A (Minon) and Linear B (Mycenaean) + how all of the ancient words here infiltrate English.
Akkadian/Assyrian (3,000 BCE):
babel babilu = Babylon; gate of God (Akkadian)
bdellium budulhu = pieces (Assyrian)
canon, canyon qanu = tube, reed (Assyrian)
cumin kumunu = carrot family plant (Akkadian)
natron sodium (Akkadian)
myrrh murru (Akkadian)
sack saqqu (Akkadian)
shalom = hello sholom/shlama = hello (also Hebrew)
souk saqu = narrow (Akkadian)
Semitic (2,000-1,000 BCE):
arbiter arbiter (Latin from Phoenician)
byssus bwtz = linen cloth, to be white (Semitic)
chemise gms = garment (Ugaritic)
deltoid dalt (Phoenician)
fig pag (paleo-Hebrew)
iotacism iota (Phoenician)
map (Phoenician)
mat matta (Phoenician)
shekel tql (Canaanite)
Egyptian (2690 BCE):
http://www.egyptologyforum.org/AEloans.html
adobe
alabaster
alchemy
ammonia
baboon 5
barge, bark, barque, to embark
basalt
behemoth
bocal
chemistry 10
copt, coptic
desert
Egypt
ebony
endive 15
gum
gypsy
ibis
ivory
lily 20
oasis
obelisk
manna
mummy
myth 25
papyrus
paper
pharaoh
pharmacy
phoenix 30
pitcher
pyramid
sack See also saqqu (Akkadian)
sash
Susan(na), Phineas, Moses, Potiphar, Potiphera 35
sphinx
stibium = eye paint
tart
uraeus (emblem on the headdress of the pharaoh)39
Sanskrit (2,000 BCE):
aniline nili (Sanskrit)
Aryan aryas = noble, honourable
atoll antala
aubergine vātigagama = eggplant, aubergine
avatar avatara = descent
bandana bandhana = a bond
banyan vaṇij = merchant
basmati vasa
beryl vaidūrya (Sanskrit, Dravidian)
bhakti bhakti = portion
candy khaṇḍakaḥ, from khaṇḍaḥ = piece, fragment
cashmere shawl made of cashmere wool
cheetah chitras = uniquely marked
chintz chitras = clear, bright
cot khatva
cobra kharparah = skull
crimson krmija = red dye produced by a worm
crocus kunkunam = saffron, saffron yellow
datura dhattūrāh = a kind of flowering plant
dinghy dronam = tiny boat
ginger srngaveram, from srngam “horn” + vera = body
guar gopali = annual legume
gunny goni = sack
guru gurus = bachelor
jackal srgalah = the howler
Java/java = island/coffee Yavadvipa= Island of Barley, from yava
= barley + dvipa =island
juggernaut jagat-natha-s = lord of the world
jungle jangala = arid
jute jutas = twisted hair
karma karman = action
kermes kṛmija = worm-made
lacquer lākṣā
lilac nila = dark blue
loot lotam = he steals
mandala mandala = circle
mandarin mantri = an advisor
mantra mantras = holy message or text
maya maya = illusion
Mithras mitrah = friend
mugger makara = sea creature, crocodile
musk mus = mouse
nard naladam = nard
nirvanas nirvanas = extinction, blowing out (candle)
opal upalah = opal
orange narangas = orange tree
pal bhrata = brother
palanquin palyanka = bed, couch
panther pāṇḍara = pale
pepper pippali = long pepper
punch pancha = drink from alcohol, sugar, lemon, water,
tea or spices
pundit paṇdita =learned
rajah rajan = king
rice vrihi-s = rice, derived from proto-Dravidian
rupee rūpyakam =silver coin
saccharin sarkarā
sandal wood candanam = wood for burning incense
sapphire sanipriya = sacred to Shani (Sanskrit) = Greek,
Saturn
sari sati = garment
shawl sati = strip of cloth
sugar sharkara = ground sugar
swami svami = master
tank tadaga-m =pond, lake pool, large artificial
container for liquid
thug sthaga = scoundrel
tope stupah
yoga yogas = yoke, union
yogi yogin = one who practices yoga, ascetic
zen dhyana = meditation
Linear A (1,800-1,500 BCE):
cedar keda = cedar
cumin kuminaqe = and cumin See also Linear B kumino
kumi/non Cf. kumunu = carrot family plant
(Akkadian)
lily rairi (also Egyptian) -or- nila = dark blue
(Sanskrit)
pimento pimata = pimento
rose rosa = rose
sack saka sa/kka <- sa/kkoj = coarse cloth of hair from
goats; sackcloth -or- sa/ka <- sa/koj a shield made
of wicker See also saqqu = sack (Akkadian)
Linear A & Linear B (1,800-1,200 BCE):
agriculture akara/akaru a1kra (arch. acc.) – or – = end, border
+ akaru a0gro/j = field Cf. Linear B akoro a0gro/j
democracy dima/dimaru dh=maj <- dh=moj = land, country;
people Cf. Linear B damo = village da=moj
Mother goddess of Mount Ida Idamate/Idamete
0Idama/te
Rhea, goddess of Mount Ida Idarea 0Idar9ea
healer ijate i0a/ter = doctor, physician Cf. Linear iyate
i0a/ter
calligraphy karu = ka/llu <- ka/lloj = beautiful, fine,
ornamental
copper kaki/kaku xalku/ <- xalko/j = copper, bronze
crimson punikaso funi/kasoj = crimson, red (of wine)
Cf. Linear B ponikiya ponikiyo foini/kioj
= crimson Cf. krmija = red dye produced by a
worm (Sanskrit)
crocus kuruku kro/koj = crocus, saffron Cf. crocus
kunkunam = saffron, saffron yellow (Sanskrit)
Lykinthos Rukito Cf. Linear B Rukito Lu/kinqoj
minth mita mi/nqa = mint Cf. Linear B mita
nard naridi na/ridi <- na/rdoj = with nard. See also
naladam (Sanskrit)
new nea ne/a (feminine) = new Cf. Linear B ne/#a = new
pistachio-nut pitakase/pitakesi pista/kesi = with pistachio-nuts
(instr. pl.)
Phoenician punikaso funi/kasoj = crimson, red (of wine)
Cf. Linear B ponikiya ponikiyo foini/kioj
= crimson Cf. krmija = red dye produced by a
worm (Sanskrit)
Phaistos Paito Faisto/j Cf. Linear Paito
Rhea rea r9e/a = goddess, Rhea
sack saka sa/kka (arch. acc.) <- sa/kkoj = coarse cloth of
hair from goats; sackcloth -or- sa/ka <- sa/koj
a shield made of wicker Cf. See also
saqqu (Akkadian)
sesame sasame sasa/me = sesame Cf. Linear B sasa/ma
terebinth tree tarawita = terebinth tree Cf. Linear B kitano
ki/rtanoj & timito ti/rminqoj
thalassian tarasa = sea Cf. Linear B tarasa qa/lassa
thorax toraka qw/rac = breastplate, cuirass = Linear B
toraka
throne turunu qo/rnoj = throne Cf. Linear B torono
qo/rnoj
wine winu #i/nu = wine Cf. Linear B wono = wine, vine
#oi/noj
wine dedicated to Mother Earth winumatari NM #i/numa/tari = wine
dedicated to Mother Earth
yoked zokutu zogutu/ <- zogwto/j = yoked, with a cross-
bar
zone zuma zw=ma girdle, belt; girded tunic
Mycenaean Linear B (1,600-1,200 BCE):
aeon eo e0wn = being
anemometer anemo a0ne/mwn = wind
angel akero a0ngge/loj = messenger
agora akora a0gora/ = market
axles akosone a1conej = axles
amphorae aporowe a0mfore#ej
armaments amota a3rmo/ta = chariot
anthropology atoroqo a0nqrw/poj = man, human being
aulos (musical instrument)auro a0ulo/j = flute, musical instrument
cardamon kadamiya kardami/a = cardamon
celery serino se/linon = celery
chiton kito xitw/n = chiton
circular kukereu kukleu/j = circle
coriander koriyadana koli/adna
cumin kumino kum/minon Cf. kumunu = carrot family plant
(Akkadian)
curator korete kore/ter = governor
cypress kuparo ku/pairoj
divine diwo Di/#oj = Zeus
duo dwo du#o/ = two
elephant erepa e0le/faj = ivory (in Mycenaean)
eremite eremo e1remoj = desert
foal poro pw/loj = foal
gynecology kunaya gunai/a = woman
heterosexual hatero a3teroj e3teroj = other
hippodrome iqo i3ppoj = horse
labyrinth dapuritoyo = labyrinth laburi/nqoj
linen rino li/non
lion rewo le/#wn = lion
mariner marineu marineu/j = sailor, mariner
maternal matere ma/ter = mother
Mesopotamia Mesopotomo Mesopota/moj = Mesopotamia
metropolis matoropuro matro/puloj = mother city
nautical nao nau/j = ship
non-operational noopere nwfe/lioj = useless
operation opero o1feloj = operation
paternal pate pa/ter = father
paramedic para para\ = beside, from beside, by the side of,
beyond etc.
pharmaceutical pamako fa/rmakon = medicine
polypod porupode polu/pode polu/pouj = octopus
progressive poro pro\ = in front of
purple popureyo pofurei/a = purple
quartet qetoro tetta/rej = four
schinus kono skoi/noj (flowering pepper)
strategic tatakeu startageu/j = general
stylobate tatamo staqmo/j = standing post, door post
temenos temeno (piece of land assigned as an official
domain (to royalty)
theological teo qe/oj = god
trapeze topeza to/rpeza tra/peza = table
tripod tiripode tri/pwj = tripod
vision wide #ei/de = to see
xenophobic kesenuwiyo ce/n#ioj = stranger
© by Richard Vallance Janke 2017
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