List of Spanish words of Austronesian origin
This is a list of Spanish words that come from Austronesian languages. It is further divided into words that come from Hawaiian, Javanese, Malay, and Tagalog. Some of these words have alternate etymologies and may also appear on a list of Spanish words from a different language.
- canaco= Polynesian (adjective) & a Polynesian person: from Hawaiian kanáka "to be human."
- junco= junk (ship): from Portuguese junco, from Javanese or Malay jong "boat," "ship."
- bambú= bamboo: probably from Malay bambú "bamboo."
- cacatúa= cockatoo: from Malay kakatua, "cockatoo," from kakak "older sister" + tua "old."
- casuarina= Casuarina: from Malay kěsuari "," + -ina (diminutive suffix). Named for the similarity in appearance between the little branches of the tree and the feathers of the casuario (see following).
- casuario= cassowary: from Malay kěsuari.
- compound= compound (enclosure): from Malay "koapong" meaning fenced enclosure.
- lancha= launch (boat): from Portuguese lancha, from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding smoothly" (said primarily of boats and turtles).
- malayo= a Malay person: from Malay Mělayu, of uncertain origin.
- orangután= orangutan: from Malay ōrang hūtan "person of the jungle," from ōrang "man, person" + hūtan "jungle, forest."
| SPANISH LOANWORD | ORIGIN | VIA | FILIPINO LANGUAGE | ENGLISH EQUIVALENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| abacá | Old Tagalog: abacá | abaká | abaca | |
| baguio | Old Tagalog: baguio | bagyo | typhoon or hurricane | |
| barangay | Old Tagalog: balan͠gay | baranggay | barangay | |
| bolo | Old Tagalog: bolo | bolo | bolo | |
| carabao | Old Visayan: carabáo | kalabáw | carabao | |
| caracoa | Old Malay: coracora | Old Tagalog: caracoa | karakaw | caracoa, a war canoe |
| cogón | Old Tagalog: cogón | kogón | cogon | |
| dalaga | Old Tagalog: dalaga | dalaga | single, young woman | |
| gumamela | Old Tagalog: gumamela | gumamela | Chinese hibiscus | |
| nipa | Old Malay: nipah | Old Tagalog: nipa | nipa | nipa palm |
| paipay | Old Tagalog: paypay or pay-pay | pamaypay | a type of fan | |
| palay | Old Tagalog: palay | palay | unhusked rice | |
| pantalán | Old Tagalog: pantalán | pantalán | wooden pier | |
| salisipan | Old Tagalog: salicipan | salisipan | salisipan, a pirate ship | |
| sampaguita | Old Tagalog: sampaga | sampaguita | jasmine | |
| sawali | Old Tagalog: sauali | sawali | sawali, a woven bamboo mat | |
| tuba | Old Tagalog: tuba | tuba | palm wine | |
| yoyó | Old Chinese | Ilokano: yoyó | yo-yó | Chinese yo-yo |
See also
References
- "Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua española" by Guido Gómez de Silva (ISBN 968-16-2812-8)