tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294141728297871688.post7422306831178639526..comments2024-03-26T07:09:21.701+00:00Comments on linguistlaura: Words I have learntLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599735346062899537noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294141728297871688.post-74118778440495741502013-01-24T18:18:53.611+00:002013-01-24T18:18:53.611+00:00Swahili simba is from Proto-Bantu cimba. The simil...Swahili simba is from Proto-Bantu cimba. The similarity with Sanskrit "siṃha" (where "ṃ" is pronounced as a velar nasal [ŋ], hence the Sikh name "Singh") is merely accidental. That the name of the cartoon lion is taken from Swahili seems obvious.<br /><br />Turkish "adam" is apparently a loan from Arabic "ʼādam" with the same meaning, which may itself be a borrowing from Hebrew.<br /><br />Urdu "nān" is borrowed from Persian "nān", from Proto-Iranian *"nagna-". Cognates are found in several other Iranian languages. It has spread as a loanword far beyond that. Obviously, Persians (to say nothing of Indians) were not in direct contact with Siberians, but why do you assume direct contact? The word appears to have spread via Turkic to Uralic languages (not only to Tundra Nenets, but also Komi, whence into Mansi). Depending on when the borrowing took place, it is theoretically possible that the Uralic languages did not receive the word from Persian but other Iranian languages such as Scythian, but as far as I'm aware, the Uralic borrowings are not that old.Florian Blaschkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04332341267947487410noreply@blogger.com