Re: [tied] Origin of Latin carbasus

From: amshuman_k
Message: 45413
Date: 2006-07-18

I also came across Malay 'kapas' and Mongol 'Kabaz/Kabiz' for
cotton. Are these words genetically related to Latin Carbasus ?

Regards,
Chari

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel J. Milton" <dmilt1896@...>
wrote:
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@> wrote:
> >
> > On 2006-07-18 06:15, amshuman_k wrote:
> >
> > > Is the Latin word for cotton, carbasus, a lateral acuisition
or an
> > > inheritance from IE?
> >
> > A loan, via the Near East, from some Asiatic source, cf. Skt.
karpa:sa-
> > 'cotton' and <karba:s>, the famous Persian cottons manufactured
in
> Isfahan.
> >
> > Piotr
> *****
> Liddell and Scott give three meanings for the Greek 'karbasos',
in
> order "flax", "cotton" (in Periplus Mari Erythraei, so referring to
> the Eastern trade), and "white hellebore".
> For the Latin 'carbasus', Lewis and Short give "very fine Spanish
> flax", "fine linen", "cambric".
> So unless the source language can be identified, who knows what
> fabric the word originally designated?
> Dan
>