Re: alamã

m_iacomi wrote:

>Konushevci wrote:
>
>>m_iacomi wrote:
>>
>>>Romanian word could be a late loanword or a compound "ad+lamina"
>>>with slightly irregular reduction of the ending. Latin word meant
>>>also `golden coin`, `gold`
>>
>>I think, concerning the Rom. <alama>, that we have to deal probably
>>with some kind of contamination by Turkish <elmaz>, derived from
>>Arabic <almas> 'diamond; precious thing, gold'
>
> Hardly with Turkish word since it sounds differently (stress
>on last syllable, while Romanian word is paroxytone). Also the
>meaning would not be of great help since Romanian word is very
>specifical:

I also see the comparison proposed by Romanian linguists,
Ital. <lama>, as highly plausible. Rum. <aláma> has no "golden",
let alone "diamond" (nor "apple" -> <elma, alma> :-)) connotations.
It's much closer to the idea of <lamina> and <lamination>. Let's
also take into consideration that in Romanian "blade" is <lama>
along with its diminutival <lamela>. (Maybe -I don't know-,
Rum. <alama> also includes the idea of... "plating." I dunno much
about metals, alloys, coatings, platings and sinterings.)

George