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Spanish Roots-the origins of some Spanish words
Spanish, of course, came from Latin, as did French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and several other less widespread European languages.  201 B.C.,the date of Rome's victory over Hannibal's Carthaginian forces marks the formal arrival of Latin in Iberia, the antecedent of the Spanish language. The following are just some of the many Spanish words that have derived from other languages and have influenced English.  Credit goes to Joseph J. Keenan for compiling these lists in his book, Breaking out of Beginner's Spanish.
 
Celtic origin- cerveza, caballo, carro, camisa and camino
 
A common word with an intricate history is grandmother, the Latin was avia; in France it became grand-mere; in Italian, nonna,(the source for the word "nun"; only Spanish was to hold on to the original Latin by attaching the diminutive suffix -ola.  From there aviola became abuela, and the form abuelita, twice diminished, can hardly get any sweeter!
 
Germanic origin-
orgullo-pride
riqueza-riches
robar-to rob
ganar-to win
bandido-bandit
 
"Arabisms"-(from Moorish Spain)
azul-blue
escarlata-scarlet
limon-lime
naranja-orange
adobe-adobe
talco-talcum powder
azar-hazard, chance
aceite-oil
cero-zero
cifra-cipher, figure
ajedrez-chess
cenit-zenith
nadir-nadir
jazmin-jasmine
azucar-sugar
azafran-saffran
zanahoria-carrot
aduana-customhouse
tarifa-tariff
arroz-rice
More Spanish words of Arab origin:
algoritmo
algebra
alquimia-alchemy
alcohol
alcoba-alcove
almanaque-almanac
alcanfor-camphor
algodon-cotton
almirante-admiral
alfiler-pin
almacen-warehouse
almohada-pillow
alcalde-mayor
alfombra-rug
almorzar-to eat lunch
French influence-when Napolean controlled Spain:
asamblea
burocrata
controlar
finanzas
pantalon
chaqueta
equipaje
hacer el amor-to court or to woo
Spanish influence in everyday English speech(English Hispanisms):
tuna
chocolate
vanilla
mosquito
cockroach
amigo
comrade
ranch
hacienda
estancia
coconuts
Spanish words that entered English through the U.S. Southwest
canyon
barranca-hillside, slope
arroyo-brook,creek, stream
mesa
cuesta
chaps
stampede
buckaroo
rodeo
coyote
armadillo
chaparral
saguaro
yucca,etc.
Arizona
California
Colorado-red
Nevada-snowfall
Florida-full of flowers
Montana-mountain
cocktail-named after Xochitl, an Aztec princess
taco
burrito
tortilla
frijoles
English-Spanish Cognates/Cognados from Colorin Colorado!
A
accident    accidente
accidental    accidental
accompany(to) acompañar
acrobatic     acrobático(a)
active         activo(a)
activities     actividades
admire(to)   admirar
 
admit(to)      admitir
adult            adulto
adventure     aventura
adopt(to)      adoptar
adoption        adopción
African          africano
agent            agente
air                 aire
alarm             alarma
allergic           alérgico (a)
anaconda       anaconda
animal            animal
announce (to) anunciar
appear (to)     aparecer
appetite        apetito
area               área
arithmetic       aritmética
artist              artista
association      asociación
astronomer     astrónomo
atmosphere    atmósfera
attention         atención
August            agosto
autograph       autógrafo
automobile      autómovil
 
B
Banana           banana
banjo              banjo
bicycle            bicicleta
biography        biografia
blouse            blusa
brilliant           brillante
 
C
cabin               cabina
cable               cable
cafeteria         cafetería
camera             cámara
camouflage        camuflaje
canyon             cañón
captain             capitán
capture(to)        captura
catastrophe       catásrofe
cause               causa
celebrate(to)     celebrar
cement             cemento
center              centro
ceramic            cerámica
cereal               cereal
ceremony         ceremonia
chimney           chimenea
chimpanzee       chimpancé
cholera             cólera
circle                 círculo
 
circular              circular
class                  clase
coast                 costa
colony               colonia
color                  color
committee         comité
common            común
complete           completo(a)
completely        completamente
company            compañia
concert               concierto
confetti               confeti
confusing            confusion
constellation       constelación
construction          construcción
contagious           contagioso(a)
continent              continente
continue (to)         continuar
contract               contrato
contribution           contribucion
coyote                  coyote
crocodile               cocodrilo
curious                 curioso(a)
 
 D

December                     diciembre
decide (to)                   decidir
decoration                    decoración, adorno
delicate                        delicado(a)
depend(to)                    depender
deport(to)                     deportar
describe (to)                  describir
desert                           desierto
destroy (to)                   destruir
detain (to)                     detener
determine (to)                determinar
diamond                         diamante
dictator                         dictador
different                        diferente
dinosaur                        dinosaurio
direction                        dirección
directions                       direcciones
directly                          directamente
director                          director
disappear(to)                  desaparecer
disaster                          deasastre
discrimination                   discriminación
discuss (to)                     discutir
disgrace                          desgracia
distance                          distancia
distribute (to)                   distribuir
dollar                               dólar
double                             doble
dragon                             dragón
dymanite                          dinamita

 
 
 


L
leader               lider
lemon                limon
lens                  lente
leopard              leopardo
lesson                leccion
lessons              lecciones
line                   linea
lion                   leon
list                    lista
locate(to)          localizer

M
machine            maquina
magic                magia
magician            mago
magnificent        magnifico(a)
manner              manera
map                   mapa
March                marzo
march(to)           marchar, caminar
marionettes         marionetas, iteres
medal                 medalla
memory               memoria
metal                  metal
microscope           microscopio
million                  millon
miniature              minatura
minute                 minuto
minutes                minutos
moment                momento
monument             monutmento
much                    mucho
music                    musica

N
natural                  natural
necessity              necesidad
nectar                  nectar
nervous                nervioso(a)
notice                  noticia

O
obedience              obediencia
object                   objecto
observatory            observatorio
occasion                ocasion
ocean                    oceano
October                  octobre
office                     oficina
operation                operacion
ordinary                  ordinario

P
palace                   palacio
panic                     panico
paper                     papel
park                       parque
part                       parte
patience                 paciencia
penguin                  pinguiino
perfect                   perfecto(a)
perfume                  perfume
permanent               permanente
photo                     foto
photograph              fotografia
photographer            fotografo(a)
piano                      piano

to be continued...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Creation date: Nov 16, 2007 8:06am     Last modified date: Mar 26, 2008 9:20pm   Last visit date: Apr 25, 2024 1:31am
1 / 1000 comments
Nov 21, 2007  ( 1 comment )  
11/21/2007
10:43am
Robert Carr (robert)
Kathy, I love this list.  History of words in langauges is so interesting!
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