Introduction

For the UN Interntaional Day of the Seafarer (June 25)

Teaser

naiad, astronaut, nausea, navy, navigate

Full Text

• Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- to float, to swim

  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₂ti floats, swims

    • Celtic *snāti

      • Old Irish snaid swims
    • Hellenic

      • Classical Greek νᾱ́ω nā́ō I flow

        • Classical Greek Νᾱϊᾰ́ς Nāïás naiad

          • English naiad
        • Classical Greek νέω néō I swim possibly altered by analogy to pléō: "to sail, to float"

          • Classical Greek νῆσος nêsos island ^[1]

            • Greek νησί nisí island
            • Classical Greek χερσόνησος khersónēsos peninsula "dry land island"
            • Classical Greek Πελοπόννησος Pelopónnēsos Peloponnese "island of Pelops"

              • English Peloponnese
            • Coptic ⲛⲏⲥⲟⲥ nēsos island
            • English -nesia

              • English Indonesia
              • English Melanesia
              • English Micronesia
              • English Polynesia
    • Indo-Iranian snáHti

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit स्नाति snā́ti to bathe
      • Iranian

        • Northern Iranian

          • Khotani ysänāh- to wash
        • Western Iranian

          • Kurdish ajne to swim
          • Persian شناویدن šenāvīdan to swim
        • Iranian *snanan? saltwort, potash ingredient in soapmaking

          • Western Iranian

            • Parthian

              • Old Armenian աւշնան awšnan
            • Persian اشنان ošnân saltwort

              • Arabic أُشْنَان ʾušnān saltwort, potash
    • Italic *snāō

      • Latin nō I swim, I float, I flow

        • Western Romance

          • Old French noer to swim
        • Latin natō I swim, I float, I flow

          • Eastern Romance

            • Romanian a înota to swim
            • Albanian notoj I swim
          • Western Romance

            • Italian nuotare to swim
            • Spanish nadar to swim
          • Latin natans swimming

            • Translingual Ambulocetus natans ^[2]
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)noh₂éyeti causative

    • Indo-Iranian *snaHpáyati

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit स्नापयति snāpáyati to bathe, to wash
      • Iranian

        • Avestan *snaiieni

          • Avestan frasnaiieni to wash off
        • Northern Iranian

          • Khotani ysänāj- to bathe
          • Ossetian найын najyn to bathe
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)n̥h₂sḱéti iterative/frequentive

    • Tocharian

      • Kushean nāsk- to swim, to bathe
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂tós

    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit स्नात snātá bathed
      • Iranian

        • Avestan 𐬯𐬥𐬁𐬙𐬀 snāta washed, clean
    • Italic *snātos

      • Umbrian 𐌔𐌍𐌀𐌕𐌀 snata wet?, cleansed? Iguvine Tablets

        • Umbrian 𐌀𐌔𐌍𐌀𐌕𐌀 asnata dry?, uncleansed? Iguvine Tablets
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₂mn̥ a swim, a flow action noun

    • Hellenic *(h)nā́mə

      • Classical Greek νᾶμᾰ nâma running water, a spring, a fountain
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)n̥h₂mós a swim action noun

    • Celtic *snāmos

      • Brythonic

        • Welsh nawf swimming

          • Welsh nofio to swim
      • Old Irish snám

        • Irish snámh to swim, to float, a swim, deep water
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Iranian

        • Western Iranian

          • Kurdish ajna a swim, swimming
          • Persian شنا šenâ a swim, swimming
  • Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us boat

    • Old Armenian նաւ naw boat, ship
    • Celtic *nāwā

      • Brythonic

        • Middle Welsh noe boat replaced by borrowing from OE bāt
      • Old Irish nó boat replaced by borrowing from OE bāt
    • Germanic *nōwaz ship

      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse nór ship (archaic, poetic), trough

          • Old Norse brandnór hearth-ship kenning for "house"
          • Old Norse Nóatún Ship-Farm home of Njörðr, divinity of the sea and sailing
      • Germanic *naustã boathouse

        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse naust boathouse

            • Danish nøst boathouse
            • Icelandic naust boathouse
            • Scots noust landing place, boat launch, boathouse
        • West Germanic
      • Germanic *nōwandz boater, boatman

        • West Germanic

          • Old English nōwend sailor, captain, shipmaster
      • Germanic *nakwô boat, ship

        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse nǫkkvi boat, ship, personal name

            • Icelandic Nökkvi
        • West Germanic

          • Old English naca boat, ship poetic
          • Frankish *nak(w)o

            • Dutch aak barge

              • German Aak Lower Rhine barge
            • Old High German

              • German Nachen boat archaic
    • Hellenic *náus

      • Mycenaean Greek *náus

        • Mycenaean Greek 𐀙𐀄𐀈𐀗 na-u-do-mo shipwrights
      • Classical Greek ναῦς naûs

        • Greek ναυς nafs
        • Classical Greek ναύτης naútēs sailor

          • Greek ναύτης náftis sailor
          • Classical Syriac ܢܰܘܛܳܐ nawṭā

            • Arabic نَوْتِيّ nawtiyy sailor, nautilus

              • Ge'ez ኖትያዊ notəyawi ship's captain
          • Latin nauta sailor

            • English -naut

              • English astronaut
          • Classical Greek Ἀργοναύτης Argonaútēs

            • English Argonaut
          • Classical Greek ναυτῐκός nautikós sea faring, naval

            • Greek ναυτικός naftikós
            • Latin nauticus nautical, naval

              • Western Romance

                • French nautique

                  • English nautical
                • Italian nautico
                • Spanish náutico
        • Classical Greek ναυτῐ́λος nautílos sailor, nautilus

          • Latin nautilus

            • English nautilus
        • Classical Greek ναυσία sea sickness

          • Latin nausea

            • English nausea
        • Classical Greek ναυπηγέω naupēgéō I build ships

          • Classical Greek Ναύπᾰκτος Naúpaktos Shipyard (placename)

            • Greek Ναύπακτος Nafpaktos

              • English Nafpaktos
            • Latin Naupactus

              • English Naupactus
        • Classical Greek ναῦλος naûlos

          • Greek ναύλος návlos fare, transport free
          • Italian nolo hire, rental, freight
        • Classical Greek Ναυσικᾶ Ship-Burner (personal name)

          • English Nausicaa

            • Japanese ナウシカ Naushika
    • Indo-Iranian *náHuš boat

      • Indo-Aryan *náHuṣ

        • Sanskrit नौ naú ship, boat
        • Sanskrit नावा nāvā́

          • Hindi नाव nāv boat
      • Iranian *náHuš boat

        • Northern Iranian

          • Ossetian нау naw ship
        • Western Iranian

          • Persian ناو nāw boat, warship, trough

            • Persian ناخدا nâxodâ skipper, captain, shipmaster lit. "boat-autocrat"

              • Arabic نَاخُوذَاة nāḵūḏāh skipper, shipmaster

                • Swahili nahodha captain (of a ship)
              • Hindi नाख़ुदा nāxudā sailor, captain
              • Malay nakhoda ship owner, shipmaster, captain
      • Indo-Iranian *naHuyáH navigable (river)

        • Indo-Aryan

          • Sanskrit 𑀦𑀸𑀯𑁆𑀬𑀸 navyā́ navigable (river)
        • Nuristani *nāwyā́ mill race

          • Kamviri nu mill race
    • Italic *nāwis

      • Latin nāvis ship

        • Western Romance

          • French nef

            • English nef
          • Italian nave ship
          • Spanish nave ship, nave, aisle
          • English nave
        • Latin nāvicula

          • Western Romance

            • French nacelle

              • English nacelle
        • Latin nāvigium

          • Western Romance

            • Old French navie

              • English navy
            • Spanish navío ship
        • Latin *navilium

          • Western Romance

            • French navire
            • Italian naviglio ship, fleet, canal
    • Proto-Indo-European *neh₂w(i)yos boatish, naval

      • Hellenic *nā́yyos

        • Classical Greek νήϊος nḗïos of or for a ship, naval
      • Indo-Iranian *naHwiyás boatable, navigable

        • Indo-Aryan

          • Sanskrit नाव्य nāvyá navigable
        • Iranian *naHwiyáh

          • Avestan 𐬥𐬁𐬎𐬎𐬌𐬌𐬀 nāuuiia boatable, navigable
          • Western Iranian

            • Old Persian 𐎴𐎠𐎻𐎡𐎹𐎠 n-a-vi-i-y-a ^[3]
          • Kushean newiya canal
    • Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂w(i)h₂eǵeti drives a boat

      • Indo-Iranian *naHuHaȷ́ati

        • Indo-Iranian *naHuHaȷ́ás navigator, skipper

          • Indo-Aryan *naHuHaĵás

            • Sanskrit 𑀦𑀸𑀯𑀸𑀚 nāvājá sailor, captain, navigator
          • Iranian *naHuHajáh

            • Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬁𐬰𐬀 nauuāza sailor
            • Bactrian ναοαζο naoazo sailor
            • Western Iranian

              • Parthian 𐫗𐫀𐫇𐫀𐫉 nʾwʾz helmsman, navigator

                • Old Armenian նաւազ nawaz boatman, sailor

                  • Armenian նավազ navaz sailor
      • Italic

        • Latin nāvigō I sail

          • Western Romance

            • French nager to swim
            • Italian navigare to sail, to navigate, to browse
            • Spanish navegar to sail, to navigate, to browse
          • English navigate
          • French naviguer to sail, to navigate, to browse
    • Proto-Indo-European *neh₂w(i)wedʰeti leads a boat

      • Indo-Iranian *náHwwādáyati

        • Iranian

          • Western Iranian

            • Parthian *nāvvast

              • Old Armenian *nawast to navigate, to sail

                • Old Armenian նաւաստի nawasti sailor

                  • Armenian նավաստի navasti sailor
  • Proto-Indo-European *(s)néHtr̥ snake, common European adder? ^[4]

    • Proto-Indo-European *(s)n̥Htrós

      • Germanic *nadraz snake, viper, adder

        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌳𐍂𐍃 nadrs viper, adder
        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse naðr snake, viper, adder

            • Icelandic naður viper, adder
        • Germanic *nadrȭ snake, viper, adder

          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse naðra snake, viper, adder

              • Icelandic naðra viper, adder
          • West Germanic

            • Old English nǣdre snake, adder

              • English adder
            • Frankish *nadra

              • Dutch adder
            • Old High German nātara

              • German Natter snake
              • German Otter adder, viper rebracketed

                • German Kreuzotter common European adder
    • Proto-Indo-European *(s)n̥Htríh

      • Celtic *natrī

        • Brythonic *nėdr

          • Welsh neidr snake, adder
      • Proto-Indo-European *(s)n̥Htríks

        • Celtic *natrixs snake

          • Old Irish nathir snake

            • Irish nathair snake
        • Italic

          • Latin natrīx water snake

            • Translingual Natrix taxonomic genus of grass and water snakes
            • Western Romance

              • Italian natrice grass snake

Visual

Collected English words

naiad, Peloponnese, -nesia, Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Ambulocetus natans, -naut, astronaut, Argonaut, nautical, nautilus, nausea, Nafpaktos, Naupactus, Nausicaa, nef, nave, nacelle, navy, navigate, adder, Natrix

Footnotes

1. ^

   Other possible origins for Classical Greek νῆσος nêsos include the unknown origin that gives Latin īnsula and Celtic *enistī, or from *néh₂s: "nose", similar to Germanic *nasją: "headland, promontory" from "nose". https://www.aidanem.com/word-family-isolate.html

2. ^

   One of my favorite taxonomic names: "the walking whale that swims"

3. ^

   Old Persian 𐎴𐎠𐎻𐎡𐎹𐎠 n-a-vi-i-y-a is in the Behistun Inscription, in the description of Darius's army crossing the Tigris to attack Babylon.

4. ^

   *(s)néHtr̥: "snake" could be from either *(s)neh₁tr̥: "twister" or *(s)neh₂tr̥: "swimmer". Or it could be a substrate borrowing; given that it is a geographically restricted animal name, that would be fairly common. It could even be a substrate borrowing eggcorned after "twist" or "swim".