Comments on: Catalan etymology of paper? Probably not

By: boynamedsue

boynamedsue — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:01:47 +0000

You just don’t get it Trevor.

Catalonia’s southern national border was fixed (just north of Lorca) some time in the 5th century BC.

Since that time, every individual who was born in Catalonia has been fully conscious of their catalanity, has recognised Catalan as their only “own language” (and been absolutely sure that it is not a form of Occitan), and has expressed their national identity through a range of symbols which remain unchanged to this day (San Jordi, The Virgin of Montserrat, roses and books, smurf hats, spring onions, manga and the TV series Polonia).

To suggest that a person living in 12th century Xativa might have spoken a language unrelated to Catalan is almost as ridiculous as claiming Catalanists fought for Franco in the 5th Catalan War of Independence (1936-1939).

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:53:59 +0000

Then it would surely be related to ورقة/waraqa. I suspect that the factory was not run by someone called Jordi.

By: Dani

Dani — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:48:06 +0000

And if the Catalan word comes from the word they used in Xàtiva?

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:53:07 +0000

I’m prepared to believe that, but I think the Catalan word probably came from Italy, and I don’t think that EC has a hope in hell of convincing anyone that the Catalan word formed the basis for use in “les altres llengües europees”.

By: xavier caballe

xavier caballe — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:46:29 +0000

Real Academia Española:

papel.

(Del cat. paper, y este del lat. papȳrus).