"shoulder" in seven languages
Meaningshoulder
Spanish
hombro
/ˈombɾo/
masc.other source · Latin UMERUM 'shoulder'
French
épaule
/epol/
fem.inherited
Italian
spalla
/ˈspalla/
fem.inherited
Portuguese
ombro
/ˈõbɾu/
masc.other source · Latin UMERUM 'shoulder'
Romanian
umăr
/ˈumər/
masc.other source · Latin UMERUM 'shoulder'
plural: umeri
Catalan
espatlla
/əsˈpaʎʎə/
fem.inherited
English
shoulder
/ˈʃoʊldɚ/
native English · Old English sculdor
English → ItalianshoulderspallaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: spatula; humerus (es).What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
SPATULAM‘little blade; shoulder blade’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
French and Italian named the shoulder after its blade, SPATULA 'little spade' (French al → au: épaule). Spanish kept UMERUS (hombro, with the mbr of hombre) — and used SPATULA for the back, espalda.
English relatives: spatula; humerus (es)
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esLleva a su hijo a hombros.
- frIl porte son fils sur ses épaules.
- itPorta suo figlio sulle spalle.
- ptEle carrega o filho nos ombros.
- roÎși poartă fiul pe umeri.
- caPorta el seu fill a les espatlles.
- enHe carries his son on his shoulders.