"scarf" in seven languages
Meaningscarf
Spanish
bufanda
/buˈfanda/
fem.other source · of disputed origin
French
écharpe
/eʃaʁp/
fem.inherited
Also a sash (of office) and a sling for an arm.
Italian
sciarpa
/ˈʃarpa/
fem.borrowed · French écharpe
Portuguese
cachecol
/kaʃiˈkɔw/
masc.other source · French cache-col 'neck-hider'
Romanian
fular
/fuˈlar/
neut.other source · French foulard
plural: fulare
Catalan
bufanda
/buˈfandə/
fem.other source · of disputed origin
English
scarf
/skɑɹf/
from Latin/French · Old North French escarpe
English → ItalianscarfsciarpaCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The ancestor
Frankish *skirpja‘pilgrim's bag (hung from a strap)’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A pilgrim's shoulder bag gave its name to the strap, then to the scarf. French é- shows the lost es- of words beginning with s + consonant.
English relatives: scarf, scrip (a pilgrim's bag)
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esPonte la bufanda, hace viento.
- frMets ton écharpe, il y a du vent.
- itMettiti la sciarpa, c'è vento.
- ptPõe um cachecol, está ventando.
- roPune-ți fularul, bate vântul.
- caPosa't la bufanda, que fa vent.
- enWear a scarf, it's windy.