A theory that some English words are actually
Sanskrit-like. Richard Stoney of Orleans, CA. All coyprights
reserved, Feb., 2002, based on research starting in
early 1990's. My thanks to Sunder Hattangadi for his
assistance.
Hinduwebsite.com: Hindu spirituality, religion,
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Sanskrit Wordplay in Beggar's Opera
. The following is an essay suggesting some sort of
Hindu linguistical influence upon English, Germanic,
and Scandinavian lands, circa 1200 to 1600. Is it
possible that some group speaking some
Sanskrit-related language(s) was present in Northern
Europe prior to the British occupation? I managed to
get a qualified language expert to admit, albeit
begrudgingly, to this possibility, however implausible
the strange theory seemed to him.
.Languages are like footprints in the sand: if you see
them even when no one is around, you know someone was
there. Anything past 1600 might be considered
knowledge derived as a result of the British
occupation of India.
. I will use Sanskrit as a basis for this theory, but
most defintely some Sanskritic derivative(s) is/are
the active language(s) involved since Sanskrit evolved
into other languages circa 300 to 400 a.d., according
to some sources.
. As I will show, some English words will have two or
more dissimilar meanings; I will suggest that some of
them are Sanskrit-based. In other cases, some Old
English words and definitions will appear as part of
the Indo-European language pattern--nothing new about
that. But then over the period of, say, a few hundred
years, the same word will obtain additional
meanings--Sanskritish ones--followed again in a
century or two by yet a newer Sanskritish
definition--all derived from the same word-root: a
chain, if you will. Is this continuous chain the
result of speech by a group of speakers of a Hindu
language at a time when one might not expect them,
that is, prior to the British occupation?
.There is of, course, the question of how some of the
etymologies presented here were overlooked. I might
suggest that the present-day knowledge is based on
knowledge obtained from dictionaries, linguistical
research, etc. of 400+ years ago--a time when
knowledge of Indic languages was limited or
non-existent. Therefore this could affect linguists'
interpretations.
.The years quoted here are the earliest dates of a
particular definition, as furnished by OED. Since any
linguistical influence or presence of Hindus would
most likely be part of a minor sub-culture,
integration of any linguistical contribution into
English would be slow in coming--like slang or
colloquialisms. Who knows how long it took for the
words and definitions to be recognized--especially
during times of high illiteracy, poor communication
and lack of any printing presses?
Guide to pronunciation of some Sanskrit letters:
A, as in mica
AA, as in father
I, as in fill
II, as in police
U, as in full
UU, as in rude
AI, pronounced "eye"
--Eng. BUD (< BODDE/BUDDE, 1398), "a little projection at the axil of a leaf; hence applied to a flower at any stage of growth until fully opened"; "to spring forth, grow, develop" (1566). Cf. Skt. root BUDH-, "to awaken; restore to life, conciousness; cause (a flower) to expand". Akin to BODHA, "opening of a bloom"; BODHI, the tree associated with Buddha. BUD is of obscure etymology seems to be isolated to England, with possible cognates in French or Dutch.
--Eng. CALL (1000, CEALLAN [only one occurrence];
1200-1300, CALLEN/KAL, akin to Old Norse), "call, cry,
or speak loudly; chatter"; Old Teutonic theoretical
root *KALLOJAN, a cognate of Slavic GOL-, "voice,
sound", and perhaps with Aryan root GAR-, "chatter".
Cf? Skt. root KAL- (#1), "to sound" or Skt. root KAL-
(#3), "utter a sound, murmur", sometimes used in
verbal concepts. Any connection with Sanskrit is not
mentioned in OED, which is not in the habit of always
doing so--so who knows? Anyway, note that the Teutonic
forms seem to be closest to the Sanskrit.
Take note of how the Sanskritish definitions form a
continuous chain from century to century.
**Now we come to Branch III: "The connexion of meaning
in Branch III seems far-fetched, but there appears to
be no doubt of its identity".
Branch III: "'to urge forward, drive (an animal or
vehicle)' [1375]. Perh. originally 'to drive with
shouts', but no trace of this is known since the 14th
c., and the sense is not in ON".
1500: "drive (a horse or cart)".
1724: "to make go; drive".
1768: "to drive in the chase". Cf. Skt. root
KAL-/KAALAYATI (#2), "drive forward; drive before
oneself"; KAL-/KALAYATI (#3), "impel, urge on".
**1513: "to drive (a nail); fix, fasten or join by
hammering". Cf. Skt. root KAL-/KALAYATI (#3), "tie on,
attach, fix".
**1325: "to announce or proclaim (anything)". Cf. Skt.
KAL-/KAALAYATI (#2), "announce the time (?)".
**1470: "to challenge, accuse of".
1500: "drive (a weapon) at".
1633: "to vilify". Cf? Skt. root KAL-/KAALAYATI, "to
go after (with hostile intention), persecute".
CHIVALRY: Originally circa 1300, this word was related to the idea of horsemen/knights from Fr. CHIVAL, "horse". But around the same time, it was also associated with honor and fairness (1297) and kindness, very often towards women. Cf. Skt. SHIVA, "auspicious, gracious, benign, tenderly; welfare" + LRII, "divine female; female nature".
--The following is another example of merging of
possibly two different words which are similar and
therefore associated as being the same. First we come
to COAL from OE COL, "a piece of carbon glowing
without flame; a piece of burnt wood, charred remnant"
(825 a.d.). Circa 1000, there appears the phrase BLACK
AS COAL, akin to COALY (koe-lee"), "covered with coal;
black like coal" (1565). Obviously there is an
associated between soot and blackness.
. But in 1310, there is the verb COLLOW (pronounced
"kah-lo"), akin to KOLLOW, "to blacken, begrime", akin
to COLLIED ("kah-lid") and COLLY ("kah-lih"), both of
which refer to grime and blackness circa 1590. Cf.
Skt. KAALA, KAALII and KAALI ("kah-luh", "kah-lee" and
"kah-lih", respectively), meaning "black". OED
suggests the possibility that Eng. COLLIE (the dog)
may also be related to blackness.
--Eng. CRUD(DE) is an obsolete and dialectical form of CURD (1382; uncertain cognates in Celtic (GRUTH, GROTH, CRUTH); "no cognates in Romanic or Teutonic, derivation and history unknown"), "to coagulate, congeal, become solid." Cf. Skt. KRUD, "be or become thick".
--Eng. CUDDLE (1520), "fondle, hug", is of uncertain derivation. "Further evidence as to its early use is wanted". It is a dialectical or nursery word. Cf.?? Skt. root KUD-, "to play or act as a child".
--Eng. CUT (1200, CUTE; 1300-1400, KOT/KUT/KUTT/KITT,
etc.): "Found in the end of the 13th century, and in
common use since the 14th century...The phonlogy is
doubtful;...The word is not recorded in OE. (nor in
any W.Ger. dialect), and there is no corresponding
verb in Romanic." Various theories abound as to
etymology, including theoretical Teutonic roots. Some
Scandinavian cognates suggested.
As we shall see, many definitions will blend together,
as they do in the case of RIP (see below.)
**1275: "penetrate with a sharp instrument; to gash".
1596: "make an incision". Cf. Skt. root KUTT-, akin to
KUTTANA, "cutting"; KUTTANTI, "a kind of dagger".
**1490:"a term of abuse".
1568: "an act of sarcasm".
1582: "to wound one's feelings".
1737: "rebuke".
1760: "censure". Cf. Skt. root KUTT-/KUTTAYATI,
"abuse, censure"; KAAT (pronounced "cot"), "a prefix
of contempt".
**1300: "divide into 2+ parts".
1578: "break up". Cf. Skt. root KUT- [not
KUTT-]/KUTYATI/KOTAYATE, "break into pieces, divide".
It also means "tear asunder", resulting in other,
more-violent definitions of Eng. CUT: 1632, "to rout
in battle with great slaughter"; Skt. root KAT-,
"divide" (rhymes with put).
**'There are various occurrences wherein CUT can refer
to striking the earth or a path, digging a channel.
Cf. Skt. root KUTT-, "paw (the ground), pound".
**1300: "divide with an edged instrument": a
combination of KUT- and KUTT-.
**1500: "to speak" (thieves' cant); "to shape one's
discourse; try not to commit oneself":
1850: "Meg has some queer ways, and often cuts queer
words".
1672: "He cuts indeed and faulters in his discourse,
which is no good sign".
1710: "Some Crafty Zealots cut and wheadl'd, and lying
vow'd they never meddl'd". Cf. Skt. root KUT-, "speak
indistinctly"; KUUT-, "render confused, indistinct or
intelligible".
**1666: "to strike or bruise the inside of a fetlock
with the shoe or hoof of the opposite food (of a
horse)". Cf. Skt. root KUTT-, "bruise, strike lightly,
grind, pound".
**1600: "to get in front of a rival so as to intervene
between him and success".
1815: "deprive someone of something": "The apprizer
cut the family out of another cantle of their
remaining property".
1923: "conduct (a contest) fraudulently". Cf. Skt.
root KUT-, "be crooked; be dishonest, cheat"; akin to
KAUTA, "fraudulent".
**In the 1500's and 1600's, CUT can express motion,
crossing or passage. Cf. Skt. root KAT- (#1), "go",
pronounced as in put.
**1634: "hollow out a hole". Cf. Skt. KAATA
("kot-uh"), "a deepness, hole"; derived from and equal
to KARTA, "hole", which is akin to KARTANA, "act of
cutting off, excision". Cf. Eng. CUT (1400), "excise".
**1300: "to shorten or reduce by cutting off a portion". Cf. Skt. C[H]UT, "split, cut off; become small".
**Skt. root KUTT- can also mean "to multiply". So
consider (?) the manner in which Eng. CUT can be used,
as in cutting drugs as a way of multiplying supply.
**Wounds which have been cut open have a burning
sensation. Cf? Skt. root KUT-, "be warm, burn".
**Up to about 1500, CUT was also spelled KIT/KYT,
etc.; in 1862, CUT can mean "to reduce (a color) to a
softer shade". Cf. Skt. root KIIT-, "to tinge, color".
**Somwhere among all this, there is Skt. KAT (#2,
rhymes with put), "surround, encompass". Cf?? Eng.
CUT, associated with castration (1456), circumcision
(i.e., "cut around"?) and excavating/carving
around/out (1551).
**Eng. CUT can also have definitions of violence and removing forcibly (1382). Cf. Skt. C[H]UT (not C[H]UT), "destroying, removing".
--There was OE/AS/ON DRAGAN/DRA3AN, which meant "to
drag, pull, pull; go, move oneself". It is believed to
derive from Latin TRAHERE--part of the process that
created European languages, nothing new about that.
Preservation of the letter g is believed to be the
result of dialectical in northern England. Cf. Skt.
DRAAGH, "roam, stroll; exert oneself".
But then after 1400, there appears the derivative DRAG
with definitions that blend with the Old English:
1494: "hang behind with a retarding tendency".
1583: "move the body with difficulty, delay."
1651: DRAGGED, "physically tired".
1697: "protract to a tedious end, slowly".
Cf. Skt. DRAAGH, "extend, lenghten; torment, be tired;
be long, slow, delay".
--The following is an essay suggesting an etymological
connection between the English word garish and the
Hindu goddess, Gauri.
First, consider the English word: garish, from
previous forms gaurish, gawrish, or gaerishe, the
earliest occurrence of which in English is circa 1545,
according to Oxford English Dictionary, which defines
it as "excessively bright in color, gaudy." Is the
word actually gauri-ish, i.e., "Gauri-like"?
Now we come to the Sanskrit side of the equation: Cf.
gaura/gaurii, which means the following: "white,
yellowish, reddish, pale red; gold; white mustard; red
chalk; yellow dye; orpiment ["yellow or gold mineral
substance"]; saffron [which is used as a coloring
agent.]; shining, brilliant". It is also associated
with the Sanskrit word kadaaradi, "tawny-colored"; and
it also refers to the goddess, Gauri, the wife of
Shiva.
Color is definitely part of ceremonies involving
Gauri. "In some parts of India the harvest-goddess
Gauri....is represented both by an unmarried girl and
by a bundle of the wild flowering balsam plant
touch-me-not...which is tied up in a mummy-like figure
with a woman's mask, dress and ornaments. Before being
removed from the soil to represent the goddess the
plants are worshipped. The girl is also worshipped.
Then the bundle of plants is carried and the girl who
impersonates the goddess walks through the rooms of
the house, while the supposed footprints of Gauri
herself are imprinted on the floor with red paste. On
entering each room the human representative of Gauri
is asked, 'Gauri, Gauri, whither have you come and
what do you see?' and the girl makes appropriate
replies. Then she is given a mouthful of sweets and
the mistress of the house says, 'Come with golden feet
and stay forever'". (Frazer, p. 77, vol. 2) Then the
ceremony continues on about rice crops, but that need
not concern us.
. As will be shown in the following paragraphs,
mythology involving Gauri entails changes in
personalities. With that in mind, around 1600, gaurish
gained an additional definition, "lacking
self-restraint; flighty or inconstant behavior or
emotions". "In the Vamana Purana Parvati is called
Kali ["Black, dark-blue"] because of her dark
complexion. When Parvati hears Shiva use this name,
she takes offense and does austerities to rid herself
of her dark skin. After she succeeds this, she is
renamed Gauri, the golden one [also "Fair One". Note extremes between black and white.]. Her
dark sheath, however, is transformed into the furious
battle queen Kaushiki, who subsequently creates Kali
herself in her fury. So again, although there is an
intermediary goddess, Kaushiki, Kali is shown to play
the role of Parvati's dark, negative, violent nature".
On the subject, C.J. Fuller writes, "...[a] goddess
exists in a kind of dynamic state, sometimes unmarried
and able to wield her power with all its attendant
hazards, sometimes united with a god and restrained by
the bond of marriage, and sometimes in an intermediate
position in which she is married but apart from her
husband. Actually, many goddesses largely remain in
one particular state; nonetheless in both myth and
ritual, the same transformative solution to the
ambivalence of the goddess's power perennially
emerges, so that dark and light forms of the goddess
are never truly parted from each other. Black Kali,
dancing on Shiva's corpse, repeatedly transforms into
golden Gauri.... and back again."
Continuing on the theme of being unrestrained, Gauri
is also known as Rambhaa [see RUMBLE], "roaring"
(Stutley, p. 96). OED supplies these quotes regarding
garish, garishness and garishly, indicating the idea
of rowdy speech:
**"1662-87 Blurting out any garish tomfoolery that
comes into their mind."
**1680 Who would venture rashly and garishly into the
presence of...a king upon his throne?"
*"1716 That pride and garishness of temper, that
render it impatient of the sobrieties of virtue."
There is also the Sanskrit phrase, gaura-khara, a
reference to a wild (and noisy, braying?) donkey:
gaura + khara, "harsh, injurious", which can refer to
speech.
. In volume 2 of Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics
(page 492), it reads, "The cult of Devi ["Goddess"] is
similar to that of Kali. It sometimes represents her
as benignant, but more often in her chthonic or
malignant aspect. It is, in fact, practically
impossible to distinguish the double manifestation of
the goddess. Speaking generally, when kindly she
is...Gauri, 'the yellow or brilliant one' [among
others]. But in the popular conception these functions
so completely merge and interchange that more precise
definition is impossible."
. Oxford English Dictionary also lists a different
adjective, garish (a2), which is related to gare, gaer
(sb2, 1606), "a sudden and and transient fit of
passion" < gere, geer (1369), "transient passion, a
wild or changeful mood." Again, note the dropping of
the suffix -ish. There is also a similar tale in which
at one point, Parvati is out of town at a yogic beauty
parlor having her complexion made lighter to please
the lighter-skinned Shiva. She sloughs off her old,
dark persona of the violent, man-eating Kali and
returns as Gauri, the pretty wife, the acceptable
consort.
ITCH originally refers to a skin sensation/irritation associated with scratching from Old English (pre-1100) giccan; 3icche (sic). In 1225, it refers to an irritiating desire for or desire to do something. However it is not until about 1400-1450 that we see these forms: 3iche (sic), icche, ikche, icchen. Cf. Skt. icchaa, "desire, inclination; (mathematical) problem", Pronounced closely to "itch-chaw".
--Eng. JABBER/JAVER (1499/1440), "talk rapidly or intelligibly", often used contemptuously or derisively. Cf. Skt. 1) JABH-, associated with opening the jaws wide or snapping at (implying blame); 2) JAVA, "rapidity"; 3) JAP-, "mutter in a low voice; whisper repeatedly (implying blame)".
--In 1600, there is the word JENNY (no European cognates), supposedly from the female name. It means "the female name; a prefix for various female animals". Cf. Skt. JANI/JANII, "woman, wife", akin to Hindi JANI.
JUMP enters English in the first half of the 1500's, according to OED Cf. Skt JHAMPA ("jhumpuh"), "a jump". Besides referring to the idea of springing off the ground with the feet, JUMP is also associated with dancing. Cf. Skt, 1) JHAMPAATAALA "a musical measure": JHAMPA + TAALA, "a musical measure; a dance"; 2) JHAMPAANRITYA, "a kind of dance".
Eng. JUMPER means "a man or animal who jumps". Cf. Skt. JHAMPARU, "a jumper; an ape". JHAMPAAS'IN, "kingfisher".
--Eng. LASS, "girl" < LASCE/LASSE (1300). OED admits
this is a "difficult conjecture" and takes note of the
sound of the letter K from Old Norse *LASQA, primarily "free from
ties ["loose"?]; having no fixed abode". Cf. Skt. 1)
LASA, "moving here and there"; 2) akin to LAASAKA,
"moving here and there; dancing girl; harlot;
embracing"; 3) LAASIKA, "dancing"; 4) root LAS-, "play
sport, frolic".
In 1596, LASS means "lady-love"; in 1788, "maid
servant". LASS and LASSIE are closely associated with
LAD (1300, LADDE, also LAWD) and LADDIE, also of
obscure origin, which may be associated with HARLOT,
according to OED. It means "servant (1300); boy
(1440)". Cf. Skt. LAADIIKA "boy, servant". LAD also
has other definitions:
1725: "sweetheart". Cf. Skt. root LAD, "cherish,
desire". It is unrelated to LAADIIKA.
1300: "varlet, man of low birth". Cf. Skt. LADDA,
"wretch, villain", unrelated to LAADIIKA.
1553: Phrase QUITE A LAD, "a man of spirit and vigor"
(1553). Cf? Skt. LADANA, "handsome, pleasing", also
unrelated.
--Eng. LULL, obsolete form of LOLL (related to Middle
Dutch, no other apparent cognates): (1418), "to
swing"; (1582), "anything that lolls, e.g., the
tongue"; (1611) "to swing the tongue". Cf. Skt. root
LAL (pronounced "lull"), "to loll or wag the tongue,
to wave".
In 1377, LOLL also means "to lean idly in a relaxed
manner", which is synonymous with Skt. root LAL,
"behave loosely or freely; dally, play". There is also
the related noun LOLL, "a pet or darling" (1728). Cf.
Skt. LAL, "to cherish, foster, caress", akin to
LAALITA, "cherished, desired one".
OED also lists this onomatopoeic counterpart to LOLL:
LILL(1530), "to loll the tongue" (play with the
tongue"?). Compare 1) Skt. root LAL-, "play, sport";
2) Skt. LIILAA, "play, sport, amusement; child's
play".
--Eng. MAKE, "construct, fashion", comes from pre-1100 MACAN/MACIAN. But circa 1300-1400, there appear the forms MADE/MAD/MAUDE/MAAD, without the letters c or k. Around 1300-1500, there appear these forms: MA MAYS and MAS. Cf. Skt. MAATA, "made, formed", from root MAA, "fashion, form, build, make". Here are some verb forms of MAA: MAAYATE; subjunctive MAASAATAI; precative MAASIISHTA; MAASYATI. Other definitions occur around the same time. My guess is that MAKE is actually many words combined. Oxford English Dictionary admits to having had trouble regarding the genealogical arrangement of the senses.
--In 1000, there is the root-word MASC-, "malt mixed with hot water form wort". Then in 1250 it is related to the verb "to beat into a soft mass; to crush, pound or smash to a pulp". Cf. Skt. root MASH- ("rhymes with push), "hurt, injure", akin to MASHAM, "to grind to a powder, pulverize". Yes, I know that there is a technical difference between grinding and pounding, so maybe there is no relationship between the two. Eng. MASH is listed as the onomatopoeic alteration of MUSH (1781), "to pulverize, crush". There is also the Eng. noun MUSH (1824), "anything reduced to powder or pulp; anything soft or pulpy", from Eng. MUSH, "porridge" (1624).
--Eng. MAST (1420, no European cognates indicated), "a weight of 2.5 pounds", according toOED, which is uncertain of its source. Cf. Skt. MASTA, "measured"; MASTI, "a weighing". There is, of course, the argument that the English word is perhaps derived from Latin MASSA, "lump, mass; weight", but the Latin word is never spelled with the letter t.
--Eng. MIRCE > MIRK > modern MURK/MURKY, Danish/Swedish MORK. Outside of Teutonic, there are no certain cognates, possibly Old Norse may be the source. Originally, it was associated with darkness or becoming dark. In 1375 and 1667, it refers to the thickness and intensity of the air or clouds. Cf. Skt. root MURCH-/MUURCH-, "thicken; become intense". At some point, MURK also meant "hard to understand; unenlightened". Cf. (??) the related Skt. words MUURKHI, "stupid"; MUURCHAA, "mental stupefaction".
--Eng. MOLL (MALL, 1600, no European cognates), "wench prostitute," (supposedly from the name MOLLY): Also associated with crime. Cf. MALKIN, "untidy female, slut, lewd woman (1500), woman of lower classes, name of a female demon" (1200). MALKIN TRASH (1698), "one in a rueful dress". Cf. Skt. MALA, "moral or physical dirt, impurity, original sin". This same word also refers to a dirty garment. Also consider Skt. MALIMLUCH, "thief, a particular demon", akin to MALIMLU, "thief." Conceivably, the Latin word, MALUS, "evil", might be influencing the "demon" aspect.
--Eng. MUCK (1250; "prob. of Scandinavian origin"( MYK or MYKI), year unspecified) originally meant "cattle dung". Cf. Skt. MUKA(A), "smell of cow dung; having the smell of cowdung". Note that the English form is closest to the Sanskrit.
--Originally, Eng. MUD referred to a bog. In 1526,
MUDDY meant "abounding in or splattered with mud; not
clear in color". Then other cognates appear:
**MUDDY (1601), "to make confused".
**MUDDLE (1687), "to confuse"; (1818), "mental
confusion; disorderly condition";
MUD, " fool"(1708).
Cf. Skt. MUUDHA, "confused; confusion of mind;
foolish, stupid, not clear; driven off its course".
Related to MUUDHA is Skt. MUGDHA, "bewildered, foolish
ignorant; gone astray, innocent, artless", akin to
Pali/Prakrit MUDDHA, "foolish". Cf. Eng. MUGGINS,
"fool" (1855); MUG, "stupid or incompetent person"
(1859); MUG'S GAME (1910), "foolish or unprofitable
activity"; MUDDLE (1810), "a bungle" (cf. related Skt.
MUDHAA, "in vain").
The root word of the Sanskrit words is MUH, "be
confused, be mistaken; fail, go the wrong way". No
cognates are indicated by OED out of Germanic lands.
**MUD (1593), "to make water turbid/unclear by
stirring up the mud". The idea of mixing becomes more
prominent in later years. Cf. Skt. root MUD, "mix,
blend, mingle". This is a verb unrelated to the
Sanskrit words listed above.
--In 1596, there is the word MUG, "a breed of sheep having the face completely covered with wool"; MUG EWE/LAMB. Then in 1708, a different (?) word MUG means "face" and "mouth" (1820). No European cognates. Cf. MUKHA, "mouth; face"; akin to Kashmiri MU-GAND (Turner).
--In 1380, Eng. MUSTER means "to show, report,
explain" from Latin MONSTRARE and It. MOSTRARE,
"show". Then it gains additional definitions:
1420: "to collect (soldiers) for inspection or
display"
1450: "to come together for inspection"
1586: "to collect or bring together (things, thoughts,
courage or people)"
1592: "bring (troops) together" Cf. Skt. root MUST-,
"gather, collect".
--Eng. NAUGHT (< OE NAWUHT) originally meant "nothing, useless, worthless; morally wicked". Cf? Skt. NATA, "courtezan, Nautch girl". Circa 1200, NAUGHT becomes NATHT and, in 1500, NAUT. Circa 1536, it gains the definition "doing wrong", applied to mild reproach or disapproval". Cf? Skt. NATII, "disgusted with". Up to this point, I have been speculating, I admit. But take a look at an additional definition of the related verb NAUGHT, "destroy (1340)" and adjective "injurious" (1596). Cf. Skt, root NAT, "injure, hurt". This chain of English definitions seems to indicate, at least in part, an Indic influence.
--Eng. PAN (1572, "derivation unascertained"), "to
fit, agree, correspond". OED offers these quotes:
**"Say and promeis what thay can, thair words and
deidis will neuer pan".
**Pan, to close, joyn together, agree. Prov. 'Weal and
Women cannot pan, but Wo and Women can'".
"Jack and wife didn't seem to pan togither at fost,
but noo they get alang pratty weel."
Cf. Skt. PAN (pan.), "to negotiate, bargain; to risk
(as a battle)", akin to PAN.A, "agreement, treaty"
--In English there are several forms of POOP, one of
which I will deal with now. It means "to make an
abrupt sound by blowing a horn" and "to gulp in
drinking" 1400, with cognates in LG, MLG and MDu. Cf.
Skt. root PAA- and verb forms PAPAATHA/PAPE, etc.,
akin to PAPI. All refer to drinking, swallowing, and
drinking liquor. Cf. Eng. POP (1812), "a name for any
effervescing beverage, esp. ginger-beer or champagne";
SODA POP. Yes, there is also the sound of a popping
cork involved in opening champagne. Skt. PAA- created
cognates in Latin Greek and Slavic, but none of them
have the letter p in them, according to
Monier-Williams.
PAA- also means "drink up, exhaust". Cf? U.S. POOPED
(1931, origin unknown), "exhausted, tired".
--Prior to 1100, there was Eng. PRAETTI3 (PRATI, 1400)
and it meant "cunning, astute, wily, clever". Then
circa 1400, it changed to PRETY, then PREATIE/PRITTIE
in 1500. Around this time it gained the definiton of
"pleasing to the eyes, ears or the aesthetic sense;
admirable; beautiful, satisfying; commendable;
good-mannered; having proper appearance; soothing".
Cf. Skt. PRIITI, "pleasure, kindness, satisfaction;
favor; affection, love [i.e., "lovely"?]; grace", from
root PRII, "soothe; be kind, loving".
I found no cognates for outside of English for the
"pretty, satisfying" definition.
--PRETTY (1565, no apparent cognates; supposedly related to PRETTY mentioned above), meaning "to a moderate degree; in close approximation; very nearly", used in comparisons (e.g., "pretty good, but not great"). Cf. Skt. PRATI/PRATY, "near to; like or comparable to; in the direction of; on a par with; in proportion to; in the vicinity of".
--Eng. PRIDE (< OE PRYDO/PRYTO < ON) originally referred to feelings of haughtiness, glory, proudness, gallantry, pomp, high self-esteem, arrogance, contempt and love of ornamentation. These are antagonistic emotions. But in 1486, there are the meanings of "sexual desire, especially in animals" (cf. LION's PRIDE) and "feelings of elation, pleasure, satisfaction" (1597; spelled PRID circa 1200-1500). Cf. Skt. root PRID, "gladden, delight"; root PRII-, "please, gladden, satisfy; to love, be kind", akin to PRIITI, "pleasure, satisfaction, love".
--Cf. Eng. RAP, "utter, say, speak" (1541) and Skt. root RAP, "say". The English word is believed to be related to RAP, "knock, strike", but the definition "talk" shows no actual semantic resemblance to it.
--Eng. RIP, akin to MSw REPPA, MLG REPPEN, etc., is of
obscure origin and history. OED says "it is not quite
certain that all the sense really belong to the same
word." As we shall see, some of the Sanskrit words
tend to blend together as just as in English, creating
confusion. Whether there is an Indo-European root is
not specified by OED, but there is defintely a
continuing Sanskritic influence through the years:
**1) 1477: "to cut, pull or tear (anything) from
something else".
1640: "to take the tiles off (a building)". Cf. Skt.
RII-/RI-/REPAYATI, "detach, sever".
**2) 1565: "to open up (wounds) again in a harsh
manner".
1575: "to slash, tear, open with violence". Cf.
aforementioned RII/REPAYATI; RIPH-, "hurt, kill";
RIPH-, "hurt"; RIP (#2), "injury".
**3) 1570: "bring into discussion (something
unpleasing or discrediting); make a (strong)
utterance". Cf. Skt. root RIPH-, "reproach"; RIPH,
"snarl, blame".
**4) 1549: "open up, lay bare".
1853: "let (someone, something) go."
1855: "a rapid rush". Cf. Skt. root RII/REPAYATI, "let
go, release, set free"; Skt. root REP-, "go". ("Let it
rip!")
**5) 950: (RIPE), "to rob".
1200: (RIP), "rob".
1967: (RIP OFF) "rob, cheat, deceive".
1971: "cheat, deceive, rob". Cf. Skt. root RIP- (#1),
"deceive, cheat"; root RIP (#2), "deceit".
**6) There is also the English noun RIP, which is
believed to be related to Eng. RIP mentioned above: "a
broken stretch of the sea"; RIPPLE, "to flow into
ripples", which are associated with water; RIPPLE,
"break up (ground"; RIP CURRENT. Cf. Skt.
RII-/REPAYATI, "be shattered; become fluid, flow".
**7) There is also another noun, RIP/REP (sb6), "an
inferior, worthless horse" (1778); "a worthless,
dissolute fellow, rake" (1797); "something of little
value" (1815); "immoral person". Cf. Skt. REPA, "low,
wicked", akin to RIPRA, "vile, bad" from the Skt. root
RIP- (#2). Also Skt. RIPU,"rogue".
**8) Eng. RIB (1393; cf. G. RIPPEN), "to rub or scrape
(flax, hemp) with an iron tool of a core adhering to
it after the process of breaking". Cf? Skt. root RIP-,
"adhere"; RII/REPAYATI, "detach from".
**9) RIPPLE
(1828), "sound (of water)". Cf. Skt. root REP-,
"sound"; RII-/REPAYATI, "flow, become fluid".
--Eng. RUMBLE (from ROMBEL, 1386 with Germanic cognates; "perhaps properly a Low German word"): "(verb) to make a disturbance, noise or tumult; (noun) a growling sound (thunder, cannon); uproar". Cf. Skt. root RAMB-, "to sound, roar", more closely pronounced "reumb-". It is significant to note that the English form of the word is the only one spelled with the letter b, while the cognates lack it.
--Skt. SHIVA means "auspicious, benevolent, kind;
fortunate, welfare; final emancipation." Cf. the
following English words derived from the French
(1300-1400) in which ch is pronounced as sh:
CHEVE/CHIEVE, "to come to or obtain an end, succeed;
prosper, fare well; to do homage to; achieve (actually
a' chieve)".
CHEVANCE/CHIEVANCE, "success in acquiring wealth;
wealth; accomplishment".
CHEVISANCE, "help, assistance rendered".
CHIVALRY, "a kind, gallant act".
CHEVE DAY (1461), "day of a patron saint".
There is also the related word CHIEF, "a head-person",
supposedly from Latin CAPUT, "head". I would say that
the basis is actually someone in charge, like a Lord.
Shiva and "Ring around the Rosy"
**CF. Cf. 1) Skt. SHIVA/SHAIVA plus SHIBA, the latter
being the Bengal/Assamese equivalent. 2) Modern German
SCHIEFE, "crookedness", akin to such earlier, related
words SCHEVE, SCHEWE, SCHEIWE, SCHEIV, SCHEIB, and
SCHIEB < roots *SKAIBA and *SKAIFA. Anglo-Saxon
SCEA’F-FOT, "twisted, curved, bent, warped foot" and
"splay-foot", a medical condition marked by having the
foot turned outward, not straight. Shiva’s foot is
described as being curved in the middle with the toes
bent down. (< Skt. KUN~CITA, "bent, curved, crooked").
His heel is also raised. Consider Ger. SCHIEF, which
can also be used to imply "slant"; Turkish
S[H]IV/S[H]EV, "bevel"; Eng. SHEVELING-HEELED,
"twisted, distorted, downtrodden heel". Shiva also
walks with a swagger, literally with the leg turned
out. Cf. Eng. SHEVEL, "walk crookedly"; Ukr.
SHEVERNOGII*, "bowlegged", that is, with the leg
turned outward. See The Dance of Siva by David Smith
on pp. 8 and 164 for a description of his feet.
**The Sanskrit word SHAKTII (also see SHOCK) means
"power", and it can also be used as meaning of "the
meaning of words". Therefore, one can interpret the
phrase shakti of Shiva as "the meaning of Shiva-like
words". One such shakti is Kundalini (feminine form of
Skt. KUNDALA, "coil; coil of rope"). Cf. Eng. SHEAVE,
"layer of a coil of rope", akin to SHIVE and SHIVER <
Old Saxon SCIVA, OHG. SCIBA, Ger. SCHEIBE.
**There is also the English word SHIVE < OS. SCIVA,
involving a coil of rope or metal and throwing it over
a stake, like the American game of horseshoes. This
mimics a pole-like linga ("penis") surrounded a yonii
("vulva") at the base, an obvious sexual connection.
OED admits uncertainty as to etymology except to say
there is a French connection. I would suggest French
COIT, "coitus". This concept is backed up by the fact
that QUOIT later means "buttocks" (cf. "piece of
ass"). There is a union of ecstasy between Kundalini
and Shiva.
**Shiva has matted hair, so confer Eng. SHEVELLED/
SHIEVELD, old forms of DISHEVELLED, "unkempt", which
ususally refers to hair. Compare Croatian SHIVETA,
"mat, hassock, plaited hair." Ukrainian SHEVELYURA,
"thick hair, chevelure". Wigs of olden days were made
of densely matted material. Mukta-keshii, "with
shieveld hair", is a shakti of Shiva.
Siva, Bhavani and Shiva
**Vikrita-mukhii is a shakti: VIKRITA, "deformed,
distorted, misshapen" + MUKHII, "mouth, face". Cf.
Eng. SHEVEL-MOUTH and Sc. SHAIVLEMOOT, "distorted
mouth".
**Mundaa, "shaved", is a shakti. Cf. Eng. SHAVE < OE.
SCEAFA/SCEABA/SCAEBA; Eng./Nor. SKIVE, "shave
(leather)", of Scandinavian origin.
**Bhairavii, "horrible, terrible", is a shakti. Shiva
himself is Bhairava/Bhairab. Cf. Eng. SHIVER (1250),
"to tremble due to fear or cold".
**Shiva himself is considered The Destroyer. Cf. Eng.
SHIVER (1200; later SHEAVE), "to break, shatter or
split into fragments".
**"In the southern school [of Shaivism], the workings
of Shiva and the shakti are figuratively illustrated
by the analogy of the reproductive organism of a
lotus, where the stamens of the lotus are compared to
the lord and pistil to the shakti-tattva." Cf. Eng.
CHIVE/SHIVE/CHIEVE/CHYVE, "threadlike stamens and
pistils, sometimes of the saffron crocus".
**SHIVA JYOTIS, "Shiva-light", the fire, is considered
a linga. JYOTI’ can also refer to sunlight, so
consider ENG. SHIVELIGHT (1850), a "sliver of light".
There is
" a story of ascendancy that is very important in
Ka’shi’ [Benares] lore: the Famous myth in which
Shiva’s linga splits open the earth as a fiery column
of light. The [resulting] shaft is flanked by… Brahma’
on the one side, and Lord Vishnu on the other, both
kneeling in reverence upon their divine lotus
blossoms. The shaft, with flames shooting from its
sides, has been broken…" There are "twelve places
where the linga…shone forth in a fiery column of light
[all in Ka’shi’/Benares]; the sixty-eight places where
Shiva’s lingas are said to have emerged from the
earth". There are several temples in Benares, one of
which is three feet underground with only enough room
for one worshipper and a stone linga
.The light linga is the supreme "partless" reality,
out of which Shiva may sometimes appear in bodily form
as a "partial" reality At one point, "Shiva vowed that
this [large] unfathomable linga would become small so
that the people might have it as an emblem for their
worship". (Eck)
**From a passage about the lin’ga: "Sex symbolism has
long been associated with husbandry and the implements
connected with it. The Sanskrit word for plough is
LA’N’GULA/LA’N’GALA, denoting both a digging implement
and phallus. The female pudenda is similarly
associated with ploughing and identified with the
furrow as personified linguistically by Sita" (less
correctly written S’[H]I’TA’). Sita is represented by
a plowshare She was created when her father Janaka was
plowing a field. He emblazoned a plow on his standard
in her honor."
. The reasons for these associations stem from Hindus’
views of the Mother Earth as a womb which is
impregnated by the male sun/sky using rain as sperm.
The furrow/vagina represents the opening/parting into
the womb. Compare English SHIVER, "breastplate of a
plow," akin to SHEAVE and SHIVE < OS. SCIVA; Eng.
SHEAT(H), "plow bar connecting the beam and sole in
front". OED lists this quote: "According to the
position of the sheath, the earth of the furrow is
turned over more suddenly".
The word SIITAA (less correctly SHIITAA) changes into
SAITA and SHAITA, "worshipper of Sita". SIITAA can
also used to denote a parting of the hair or vagina
(Consider German SCHEITELN, "to part (hair)";
SCHEITEL, "parting of hair"; SCHEIDE, "parting,
vagina", akin to M.E. SCHEDE/SCHETE < O.E. SCEATH.
--Eng. SHEET (sb1) < OE SCIETE/SCETE comes from the
theoretical root SKAUT-, "corner, quarter, region,
bosom, skirt, cloth", akin to various Germanic words
(SKUT, skot, SCHOOT, ETC.) meaning "sail-rope." Some
additional definitions are added to SHEET later on:
**725: "cloth, towel; broad piece of linen, cotton or
canvas and the like forcovering, swathing or
protecting from injury."
**1250: "piece of fabric for bedding."
Eng. SHEET (sb2) < OE SCEATA. At the earliest stages,
it has the definitions associated with SHEET (sb1). No
European cognates except Middle Low German, which
occurs later. In 1336, its original definition is "a
rope attached to lower corners of a sail." Cf.
Pali/Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit SHIITA ("sheetuh"),
meaning "sail"; SHITAA, "rope?" See Turner, p. 773).
Now back to SHEET (sb1, also spelled SHIT): in the
late 1500's, it means "a broad expanse of something
laying out flat, presenting a white or glistening
surface, or forming a relatively thin surface." Cf.
Skt. SHITA, "thin"; Skt. SHITI/SITA or Pali SITA,
"white, bright"; phrase WHITE AS A SHEET; SHEET-COW,
"a cow with a white band around the body"; Skt.
SIITAA/SHIITAA, "line, track, furrow", i.e., a band of
sorts.
SHEET (sb1) is also used to describe bookbinding. Cf.
Skt. SITA, "bound".
--Eng. SHOCK (1565, of obscure origin, perhaps from French or Spanish) originally referred to a military charge. In 1614, it means "a violent blow; blow, collision tending to overthrow; a sudden, large application of energy." Akin to SHAKE (1380). Cf. Skt. root SHAK (pronounced close to "shook"), "be powerful"; SHAKYATE, "be subdued;" SHAKTII, "energy, power, strength, effort, power over."
--Eng. SHRIVEL (1547, origin unknown, perhaps from
Swedish SKRYVLA, "to wrinkle"). It means to become
wrinkled or dried up because of heat or cold." Cf.
Skt. root SHRIV/SRIV/SRIIV, "go or become dry", akin
to SRUUTA, "withered".
Later, Eng. SHRIVEL also means "to reduce to
ineffectiveness or helplessness" (1663). Another
definition of Skt. SHRIV is "frustrate, thwart; cause
to fail; turn out badly."
Note that the English word has two definitions
identical with the Sanskrit, while the Swedish has
only one, apparently.
--Eng. SMILE appears circa 1300 and is related to
Lithuanian and Sanskrit root SMI-, nothing new about
that. Skt. root SMI- (with verb forms like SMITVAA and
SMETA) also means "shine, become red or radiant", akin
to SMITA, "smiling; blossoming". Cf. Eng. SMIT,
"reddish ore", 1728). It also has addditional
definitions, so see SMIRK, below.
Then there is the unrelated OE SMITE, "to strike
physically, inflict injury", obviously implying
violence. But in 1588, SMITE means "to beat or shine
upon". See Skt. root SMI-/SMITVAA, above. In 1300,
Eng. SMITE also means "to strike with emotion", then
"to enamour" (1663). Cf. a different Skt. root SMIT-,
"to love".
In 1700, SMILE also means "to sparkle (applied to
alcohol)". Cf. Skt. root SMIIL, "to twinkle" which is
synonymous with sparkle.
--Eng. SMIRK (888, SMEARCIAN, "no cognate languages") originally meant "to smile" (cf. SMILE, above). "In later use [SMIRK, 1300-1500?], 'to smile in an affected, silly, or self-satisfied manner'". Cf. Skt. root SMI, "to laugh at, mock, despise; be proud or arrogant"; akin to SMERA, "smiling, friendly".
--Some mental visualization is needed for the following: Eng. TWANG (1553, no European cognates) refers to giving forth the resonant, reverberating sound produced by a tense stringed instrument when plucked. Cf. Skt. TVAN'G, "tremble, wave". Cf. Eng. TREMULOUS and SHIVERING, both of which can refer to trembling and sound. (Note: In Sanskrit, the letters tv together are pronounced as tw.)
--Webster's says that English VARNISH is derived from
the town of Berenice, where the substance originated.
(However, OED says, "Of unknown origin", indicating
there is no definitive answer to language theory!) It
engendered medieval Gr. BERENIKE, It. VERNICE, Sp.
BARNIZ and Eng. VERNISSHE (1341), references to the
resinous matter. In the 1500's, it becomes VARNISH in
English. Then it gains some additional definitions in
the 1500's and 1600's: (noun) "a pleasing gloss or
outward show, a pretence; a means of embellishment; a
beautifying or improving quality; an external
appearance or display of some quality without
underlying reality." Compare these definitions of Skt.
VARN.A: "a covering, outward appearance; form or
figure; color (for painting); good color, beauty,
lustre; quality or or property (applied to people or
things)". The root VARN. means "to color, spread",
which is synonymous with the verb VARNISH, "to paint
with varnish".
In addition to the above, the verb form of VARNISH
means "to cover with a deceptive appearance, disguise,
gloss over". Cf. the related Skt. word VARN.AKAA, "a
color; mask; assumption of a mask", akin to VARNA.,
"cover".
--Eng. WANT < VANT < O.N. VANT, "ultimately of
Scandinavian origin", according to Oxford English
Dictionary (OED). Circa 1200, it means "missing,
deficient in, lacking in or short of, non-existent in
(a thing or quality)." Then circa 1570, it refers to
the mental process of desiring or wishing. Now, while
it is logical to assume that if you lack something
(e.g., money or food), then you want it. But there is
a distinct difference between the two: one is a
condition or state of existence, while the other is a
deliberate, active mental process ("I want food!").
Similarly when something, such as food, is lacking in
flavor, we do not expect it to say, "I desire some
flavor!".
. So now we come to the Sanskrit. Cf. root VAN >
VANTA/-VANTAVE, "wish, desire; to gain, acquire." But
there is no mention of being lacking or non-existent
(like in food flavor). Actually the verb, which also
means "conquer, win, become master of, possess",
implies use of force ("I want this!"). This satisfies
one basic definition of Eng. WANT, but not another.
This is a good example of convergence of two
different, but similar, concepts.
--Curly of The Three Stooges says, "Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuk!" Cf. Skt. NY-UC, "to take pleasure in something".
Is it possible that some Sanskritish words entered Anglo-Germanic languages directly without migrating slowly from India? Could these words have spread throughout Europe from the North? Yes, I know this is speculation, but it is an idea.
Sources:
American Heritage Dictionary, The, second edition.
Bosworth, Joseph and Toller, T. Northcote. An
Anglo-Saxon Dictionary
Cassell's Italian Dictionary
Cassell's New Latin Dictionary
Dimmitt, Cornelia. Sita: Fertility Goddess and Sakti,
in The Divine Consort, J.S. Hawley and D.M. Wulff,
editors, p. 211
Encarta online dictionary
Eck, Diana. Benares: The City of Lights
Eliade, Mircea, editor. The Encyclopedia of Religion,
p. 402, vol. 8
Frazer, James George. The Golden Bough
Fuller, C.J. The Camphor Flame
Mansion, J.E. Harrap's New Shorter French and English
Dictionary
Hastings, James, ed. Encyclopaedia of Religion and
Ethics
Kinsley, David R. "Kali: Blood and Death out of
Place", in Devi, Goddesses of India by John S. Hawley
and Donna M. Wulff
Monier-Williams, Monier. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary
O'Flaherty, Wendy Doniger. "The Shifting Balance of
Power in the Marriage of Siva and Parvati" (pp. 134-5)
in The Divine Consort, John Stratton Hawley and Donna
Marie Wulff, editors.
Oxford English Dictionary, second edition
Oxford Latin Dictionary
Stutley, Margaret and James. Harper's Dictionary of
Hinduism
Turner, R.L. A Comparative Dictionary of the
Indo-Aryan Languages
Walker, Benjamin. The Hindu World
Webster's Third International Dictionary