How the word for Ship has changed

The origin and history of some of the European / Indo-European words for ship

B ← A indicates that the word in language B has evolved directly
from a word in language A, or at least a very similar language. For
example, Persian did not evolve directly from Avestan, but the Old
Persian texts lack the more extensive vocabulary of the similar
Avestan language. Alternatively, the word could be borrowed
from another language. English is full of words borrowed from
Old French.

Abbreviations at bottom of page
* = hypothetical, reconstructed

GERMANIC
WEST GERMANIC

English

ship ← M.Eng. schip ← O.Eng. scip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Scots

ship ← M.Sc. schip ← O.Nth. scip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Frisian
   North Frisian
      (Island)

Skep ← O.Fris. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

   North Frisian
      (Helgoland)

Skep ← O.Fris. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

   North Frisian
      (Mainland)

schap ← O.Fris. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

   East Frisian

Schip ← O.Fris. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

   West Frisian

skip ← O.Fris. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Dutch

schip ← M.Du. schip, scip ← O.Du. *skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Afrikaans

skip ← Dutch schip ← M.Du. schip, scip ← O.Du. *skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Plattdeutsch

Schipp ← M.L.G. schip ← O.Sax. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

East Friesland Platt

Schipp ← M.L.G. schip ← O.Sax. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Kölsch (Cologne)

Scheff ← M.L.G. schip ← O.Sax. skip ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Luxemburgish

Schëff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Moselle Platt Lorraine

Schéff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Rhine Platt Lorraine

Schéff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

German

Schiff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Yiddish

schif ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Alsace German

Schiff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Swiss German

Schiff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Swabian

Schiff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Bavarian

Schiff ← M.H.G. schif ← O.H.G. skif, scif ← Pr.W.Gmc. *skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

NORTH GERMANIC

Icelandic

skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Faroese

skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Norwegian (Nynorsk)

skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Norwegian

skip ← Rec.Dan. Skib ← O.Dan. skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Danish

skib ← Rec.Dan. Skib ← O.Dan. skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Swedish

skepp ← O.Sw. skip ← O.N. skip, nór ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

EAST GERMANIC

Gothic (extinct)

skip ← Pr.Gmc. *skipam ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

CELTIC
GOIDELIC

Irish

long ← Rec.Ir. long ← O.Ir. long (← Lat. navis longa = long ship), nau ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Scottish Gaelic

long ← O.Ir. long (← Lat. navis longa = long ship), nau ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Manx

lhong ← O.Ir. long (← Lat. navis longa = long ship), nau ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

BRITTONIC

Welsh

llong ← E.Mod.W. llong ← M.W. llong, llog ← O.W. log ← Pr.Brit. *long (← Lat. navis longa = long ship) ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Cornish

gorhel ← K.K. gorhel ← Uni.C. gorhel ← Lt.C. goral ← Pr.Brit. *long (← Lat. navis longa = long ship) ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Breton

lestr ← Rec.Br. lestr ← M.Br. lestr ← O.Br. lestr ← Pr.Clt. *naua- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

GAULISH

Gaulish (extinct)

nauson ← Pr.Clt. *naua- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

ROMANCE
WEST ROMANCE

Walloon

batea ← O.Fr. batel ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Picard

batieu ← O.N.F. batel ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Guernsey French

navire ← O.N.F. navire ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Jersey French

navithe ← O.N.F. navire ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Gallo

batè ← O.Fr. batel, nef ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

French

bateau ← O.Fr. batel, nef ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Haitian Creole

bato ← French bateau ← O.Fr. batel, nef ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Auvergnat

   . . . .

Gascon

batèu ← O.Pr. nau ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Aranese

nau ← O.Pr. nau ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Aragonese

barco ← Lat. barcam, barca ← Anc.Gk. baris ← Coptic baare ← Egyptian bair (= Nile boat, ship)

Asturian

nave ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Galician

barco ← Lat. barcam, barca ← Anc.Gk. baris ← Coptic baare ← Egyptian bair (= Nile boat, ship)

Portuguese

navio ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Spanish

barco ← Lat. barcam, barca ← Anc.Gk. baris ← Coptic baare ← Egyptian bair (= Nile boat, ship)

Valencian

vaixell ← O.Cat. vaxell ← Lat. vascellum, vascellum; navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Catalan

vaixell ← O.Cat. vaxell ← Lat. vascellum, vascellum; navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Occitan

batèu ← O.Fr. batel ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Provençal

navire ← O.Pr. nau ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Francoprovençal

   . . . .

Romansch

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

    Sursilvan Romansch

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

    Sutsilvan Romansch

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

    Surmiran Romansch

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

    Upper Engadine Romansch

nev ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

    Lower Engadine Romansch

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Ladin

bastiment ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Friulan

nâf ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Monégasque

bastimentu ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Ligurian

barco ← Lat. barcam, barca ← Anc.Gk. baris ← Coptic baare ← Egyptian bair (= Nile boat, ship)

Piedmontese

nav ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Lombard

náv ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Emilian

nèv ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Venetian

nave ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

ITALO-ROMANCE

Italian

nave ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Corsican

nave ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Neapolitan

nàva ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Sicilian

navi ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

DALMATIAN ROMANCE

Vegliot

   . . . .

BALKAN ROMANCE

Romanian

corabie ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

SOUTHERN ROMANCE

Sardinian

naviu ← Lat. navem, navis ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

GREEK

Greek

plī́o ← Anc.Gk. ploion, naus ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

ANATOLIAN

Hittite (extinct)

- - - -

ARMENIAN

Western Armenian

nav ← O.Arm. nav ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Eastern Armenian

nav ← O.Arm. nav ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

ALBANIAN

Albanian

anije

Kosovo Albanian

anije

IRANIAN

Persian

kashti ← Av. nāva- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Kurdish

folk ← Av. nāva- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Pashto

jahāz ← Av. nāva- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

INDIC
NORTHERN INDIC

Nepali

jahāj ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

WESTERN INDIC

Romani

bero ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Marathi

zahāz ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Gujarati

vahān ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

CENTRAL INDIC

Hindi

jahāz ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Urdu

jahāz ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

EASTERN INDIC

Bengali

jahāj ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

SOUTHERN INDIC

Sinhalese

nawa ← Pa. nāvā ← Skt. nāu- ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

SLAVIC
WEST SLAVIC

Kashubian

   . . . .

Polish

okręt ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Lower Sorbian

łoź ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Upper Sorbian

łódź ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Czech

lod’ ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Slovak

lod’ ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

SOUTH SLAVIC

Slovene

ladja ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Croatian

brod, lađa ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Bosnian

brod ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Serbian

brod, lađa ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Macedonian

brod ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Bulgarian

korab ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

EAST SLAVIC

Russian

karabl’ ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Belarusian

karabjel’ ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Ukrainian

korabel’ ← O.C.S. korabljĭ ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

BALTIC

Lithuanian

laivas ← Lt.I.E. *nāu- ← Pr.I.E. *neh₂us

Latvian

kuģis ← M.L.G. kogge

FINNO-UGRIAN

Estonian

laev

Finnish

laiva

Sami

dámpa

Erzya

inevenč

Komi (Zyrian)

karab

Mansi (Vogul)

   . . . .

Hungarian

hajó

BASQUE

Basque

untzi

SEMITIC

Maltese

vapur

Arabic

markib

Hebrew

oniya ← O.T.H. oniyah

Aramaic

elpa ← N.T.A. ’elphā’

Babylonian (extinct)

eleppu

TURKIC

Turkish

gemi

Azerbaijani

gəmi

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Bits

I’d like to share with you why I think Christianity is such a great religion. A person who lives to 70 has a life of 613,200 hours. Christianity promises that the next life will be in ideal surroundings with friendly, happy people. There will be perfect health and no crime. Of course you’re free to reject the offer of eternal life.

Isn’t it worth, though, spending at least part of one of your 613,200 hours just checking it out. Then if you reject it, at least you’ll have made an informed decision. Is it just possible that your world view could be wrong and Christianity might actually be true? Where would that leave you if you choose to turn down the offer of heaven?

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen To Good People?
Your Race, Gender And Sexuality Are Irrelevant To God - True or False?
Near Death Experiences
Objections To Christianity
Some Parables and Sayings of Jesus
God Is Uncaring - True or False?
Pain and Injustice In The World
It’s Ok to Blame God For Floods and Famines - True or False?
My Favourite Bible Quotations
The Universe Was Created In Six Days - True or False?
What Makes Christianity Unique Among Religions?
Did God Betray My Trust?
God Allows So Much Suffering In The World - True or False?
The Easy Way To Pray
Who Jesus Is
The Appeal Of Being A Christian
What Faith Is
Does the God of Love Really Send People to Hell?
Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?

Quotations

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Believe and Receive
Be Thankful
Change of Heart
Defining Hope
Endless Joy
Fork in the Road
God is not Deaf
Hurting World
Into the Light
Just say Yes
New Life
Put Him First
Ready for Anything
Salvation
Sheep and Lambs
The Best Gift
The Centre
The Gospels
The Reality of Jesus

What's Missing?

The LORD said, "I was ready to answer my people's prayers, but they did not pray."

Isaiah 65,1

ABBREVIATIONS

Anc.Gk. = Ancient Greek (700 B.C. - 450 A.D.)
Av. = Avestan (600 B.C. - 400 B.C.)
E.Mod.W. = Early Modern Welsh (1450 - 1600)
K.K. = Kernewek Kemmyn - "Common Cornish" (1986 - 2008)
Lat. = Latin (75 B.C. - 250 A.D.)
Lt.C. = Late Cornish (1600 - 1891)
Lt.I.E. = Late Indo-European (2,500 B.C. - 2,000 B.C.)
M.Br. = Middle Breton (1100 - 1650)
M.C. = Middle Cornish (1200 - 1600)
M.Du. = Middle Dutch (1150 - 1500)
M.Eng. = Middle English (1150 - 1450)
M.H.G. = Middle High German (1050 - 1350)
M.L.G. = Middle Low German (1200 - 1600)
M.Sc. = Middle Scots (1450 - 1700)
M.W. = Middle Welsh (1200 - 1450)
N.T.A. = New Testament Aramaic (1st century A.D.)
O.Alb. = Old Albanian (1284 - 1908)
O.Arm. = Old Armenian (450 - 1050)
O.Br. = Old Breton (800 - 1100)
O.C. = Old Cornish (850- 1200)
O.C.S. = Old Church Slavonic (850 - 1050)
O.Cat. = Old Catalan (850 - 1550)
O.Dan. = Old Danish (1100 - 1536)
O.Du. = Old Dutch (450 - 1150)
O.Eng. = Old English (650 - 1150)
O.Fr. = Old French (750 - 1350)
O.Fris. = Old Frisian (750 - 1500)
O.Gal./Port. = Old Galician / Old Portuguese (775 - 1050)
O.H.G. = Old High German (400 - 1050)
O.Ir. = Old Irish (550 - 950)
O.It. = Old Italian (1150 - 1350)
O.N. = Old Norse (750 - 1350)
O.N.F. = Old Norman French (1000 - 1450)
O.Nth. = Old Northumbrian (650 - 1000)
O.Pol. = Old Polish (950 - 1550)
O.Pr. = Old Provençal (900 - 1400)
O.Sax. = Old Saxon (750 - 1150)
O.Sp. = Old Spanish (950 - 1400)
O.Sw. = Old Swedish (1225 - 1526)
O.T.H. = Old Testament Hebrew (1200 B.C. - 200 A.D.)
O.W. = Old Welsh (800 - 1200)
Pa. = Pali (50 B.C. - 400 A.D.)
Pr.Alb. = Proto-Albanian
Pr.Arm. = Proto-Armenian (c.1200 B.C.)
Pr.Brit. = Proto-Brittonic (500 B.C. - 550 A.D.)
Pr.Clt. = Proto-Celtic (1300 B.C. - 800 B.C.)
Pr.Fi. = Proto-Finnic (1200 B.C. - 800 A.D.)
Pr.Gmc. = Proto-Germanic (500 B.C. - 150 A.D.)
Pr.I.E. = Proto-Indo-European (4,500 B.C. - 2,500 B.C.)
Pr.It. = Proto-Italic (1,700 B.C. - 700 B.C.)
Pr.Sem. = Proto-Semitic (3,500 B.C.)
Pr.Ug. = Proto-Ugric (2000 B.C. - 1000 B.C.)
Pr.Ur. = Proto-Uralic (pre-2000 B.C.)
Pr.W.Gmc. = Proto-West Germanic (150 A.D. - 400 A.D.)
Rec.Br. = Recent Breton (pre-1941)
Rec.Dan. = Recent Danish (pre-1948)
Rec.Ir. = Recent Irish (pre-1947)
Skt. = Sanskrit (1,500 B.C. - 500 B.C.)
Uni.C. = Unified Cornish (1929 - 2008)
V.Lat. = Vulgar Latin (50 B.C. - 650 A.D.)

* = hypothetical, reconstructed

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