Re: Teaching and Learning English in Hong Kong

From: Jim Walsh (jiSPm_walAMsh_iii_at_oOKperamNOail.com)
Date: 03/22/05 

Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:43:51 +0800

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 07:15:45 +0000, Geoff thought carefully and wrote:

> phippsmartin@hotmail.com wrote:
>> "typhoon" sounds Chinese but when I checked a dictionary for
>> confirmation I found that the word originates from Greek!
>>
>> Martin
>>
>>
> It is Chinese. Your dictionary is wrong.

Etymology online says:

typhoon:

The modern word represents a coincidence and convergence of at least two
unrelated words of similar sound and sense. Tiphon "violent storm,
whirlwind, tornado" is recorded from 1555, from Gk. typhon "whirlwind,"
personified as a giant, father of the winds, perhaps from typhein "to
smoke." The meaning "cyclone, violent hurricane of India or the China
Seas" (1588) is borrowed from, or infl. by, Chinese (Cantonese) tai fung
"a great wind," from tu "big" + feng "wind;" name given to violent
cyclonic storms in the China seas. A third possibility is tufan, a word in
Arabic, Persian and Hindi meaning "big cyclonic storm" (and the source of
Port. tufao), which may be from Gk. typhon but commonly is said to be a
noun of action from Arabic tafa "to turn round." also 

-- 
Love, Jim
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