From: tgpedersen
Message: 59092
Date: 2008-06-06
> > A question for you before I leave to yet again admire your skills:http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/bHrs.html
> > Brass is listed at etymonline.com as being a "mystery word".
> > http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=brass
> > Yet it has a striking resemblance to latin bractea.
> > Could it be related or come from the latin word? Or could it as
> > the site quietly suggests, akin to swedish brasa, fire?
>
> I've seen a lot of suggestions for brass.
> See ferrum < *fersom < *bhersom < Semitic *barzum (vel
> sim). I believe Miguel brought this up about 10 years
> ago or so.
> I've also seen it related to some word + Latin aes --a
> bit sketchy.
> There are some Germanic words that have been bandied
> around. I think there was an OE braes. or somethink
> like that.
> I've also seen it as an alteration on bronze from aes
> brundisium.
> In Spanish, at least in spoken Latin American Soanish,
> brass and bronze are the same word.