WotD: cashew (nut)

[muckefuck]

1. der Cashew-Kern
2. de cashewnoot
3. el anacardo
4. l'anacard
5. le noix de cajou
6. y gnau cashiw
7. an cnó caisiú
8. orzech nerkowca
9. 캐슈
10. 腰果 yāoguǒ

Notes: This is generally the kind of word I avoid picking for one of these entries because New World fruits are typically known by unexciting variations of the same native name. And as you can see, that is the case for more than half the languages in the sample (several of which don't even attempt to nativise the crazy English transcription), which all use forms of Tupi acajú.

But the exceptions were interesting enough to tip the balance. Both the Poles and the Chinese seized on the resemblance of cashew's shape to that of a kidney (nerka, 腰 yāo) whereas Catalan and (Peninsular) Spanish borrow the Latin name, which derives from the fruit's resemblance to an upturned heart (Gk. ana- + cardia). But if you really want to see some interesting variation, look at New World Spanish. Names for the cashew nut include: almendra/nuez de cayú, castaña de cajú, cajuil, pajuil, marañón (from maraña "tangle"), merey, and nuez de la India. Names for the fruit show a similar range, everything from alcayoiba to jocote.

Comments

[pne.livejournal.com]

In practice, I think most Germans would use die Cashew.

Similarly with other nuts; you might well find Haselnusskerne on the label of a packet of hazelnuts, but when people speak to each other, they’ll say they’re allergic to, or ask whether a cake contains, Haselnüsse.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking this would make a good subject for a posting of some sort: the gap between "official" names for products and vernacular terms. For instance, no one I know has ever used the term "toilet tissue". It's printed on every package of the stuff I've ever bought, but everyone calls it "toilet paper" or (we Americans and our euphemisms) "tp".

[pne.livejournal.com]

Good idea!