List of Spanish Words of Various Origins - Dravidian Languages

Dravidian Languages

  • abalorio = glass bead: from Arabic al-ballūri (البلوري) "of the crystal," from al "the," + ballūr "crystal, beryllium," from Ancient Greek beryllos (βήρυλλος) (l and r switched places through metathesis: ballūr from beryllos), from brullion, from Prakrit veruliya (भेरुलिय), from Pāli veuriya (भेउरिय); possibly from or simply akin to a Dravidian source represented by Tamil veiruor, viar (வெஇருஒர்; விஅர்), "to whiten, become pale."
  • brillante = brilliant, diamond: from brillar "to shine," see brillar below
  • brillar = to shine: possibly from Latin beryllus, "beryllium," from Ancient Greek beryllos (βήρυλλος), see abalorio above
  • mango= mango: from English mango, from Portuguese manga, from Tamil mānkāy (மன்கய்) "mango fruit," from mān "mango tree" + kāy "fruit."
  • mangosta = mongoose: from French mangouste, from Portuguese mangús, from Marathi mangūs (मंगूस) "mongoose," of Dravidian origin.
  • paliacate= handkerchief: shortened from pañuelo de Paliacate, "handkerchief from Paliacte," from Spanish name for Pulicat, a town in the Tiruvallur District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The Spanish pañuelo de Paliacate is a partial calque of French mouchoirs de Paliacate (1788).

The Real Academia Española (Spanish Royal Academy) notes that Paliacate comes from the nahualt language. Pal: colour Yacatl: nose.

  • paria= pariah, outcast: from Tamil paraiyan "pariah," literally "one who plays the drum," (the pariahs of south India were originally a caste of Untouchables that played drums ), from parai drum, possibly from parāi to speak.

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Famous quotes containing the word languages:

    “People in places many of us never heard of, whose names we can’t pronounce or even spell, are speaking up for themselves. They speak in languages we once classified as “exotic” but whose mastery is now essential for our diplomats and businessmen. But what they say is very much the same the world over. They want a decent standard of living. They want human dignity and a voice in their own futures. They want their children to grow up strong and healthy and free.”
    —Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)