Re: "Orange"

From: Igor Sklar (sklar2002_at_yandex.ru)
Date: 09/05/04 

Date: 5 Sep 2004 01:46:01 -0700

"Paul J Kriha" <paul.nospam.kriha@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message news:<1ti_c.2085$mZ2.179465@news02.tsnz.net>...
> Igor Sklar <sklar2002@yandex.ru> wrote in message
> news:5a635d65.0409032211.399de92f@posting.google.com...
> > juuitchan@hotmail.com wrote in message news:<9159d95e.0409031453.5a0f646@posting.google.com>...
> > > What was the color orange called before the West discovered oranges?
> > >
> > > Even Polish names the color after the fruit (or appears to).
> >
> > What about Pol. rudy? The word is akin to Russ. rudyi, Lith raudas and
> > Eng red.
> >
> > In Russia, there were two principal "pre-orange" words: 'ryzhiy',
> > still applied to foxes and red hair, and 'zharkoy', the colour of
> > glowing embers.
>
> Is R. <ryzhij> a cognate of <rzhavyj> (rusty)?

Yes, it is. Other Russian cognates include ruda ('ore'), rdet' ('to
redden'), redryi ('yellowish red'). Cf Russ. redryi and Sans. rudhiras
('crimson'). All these words ascend to PIE *reudh- ('red').

> In Cz a redhead can be <rezavy'> or more often <zrzavy'>.
> (the leading z- is a prefix signifying a change of status or form).
> AFAIK <rezavy'> is related to <rezivy'> (rusty) and <rez> (rust).
> I believe <zrzavy'> is also a cognate and all these are cognates
> of the above R.<ryzhij> and R.<rzhavyj>. Any comments, anybody?

Russ. rzha ('rust'), Ukr. irzha, Bulg. r'zhda, Old Czech rze, Pol.
rdza <- Old Slavic *r'dia ('rust').

Russ. ryzhyi ('red-haired'), Ukr. rizhiy, OSC ryzhd, Slov ridz, Czech
ryzi, Pol. rydzy <- Old Slavic *rydj' ('red hair').

Both Slavic roots are akin to Lith rudis ('rust'), MHG rot ('rust'),
Lith rudas ('reddish brown'), Lat ruber ('red'), Eng. rust, red, &c
[Vasmer, III, 480].

regards