Please May We Borrow Your Word? Quiz

Answer: German

The word kindergarten comes from German and is a joining together of the German words for children and garden; the word was first used in 1840. The term has spread around the world and is particularly prominent in US English where kindergarten is used to refer to the first year of school.

The term is sometimes seen in UK English but the more common name for a pre-school institution in the UK is a nursery.

Answer: Japanese

The word tsunami comes from Japanese where it is a combination of the Japanese words 'tsu', meaning harbour, and 'nami', meaning wave. A tsunami is a large wave or series of waves that occur when an event causes a large amount of water to be displaced, usually in an ocean. Tsunamis are commonly thought of as being caused by earthquakes but can be caused by other factors such as explosions, meteorite impacts, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

The speed and power of the water in a tsunami can cause significant damage, especially once it reaches land.

Answer: Hindi

A bungalow is a term used particularly in the UK for a single storey house. The word comes from a Hindi word meaning 'of Bengal' and was a term used to describe the style of houses built originally for colonial settlers in the region of Bengal in South Asia.

The first bungalow in England was built in 1869 as a seaside holiday home and the style became popular in the UK in the 1920s and 30s when large numbers of the properties were built.

Answer: Spanish

The word aficionado comes from Spanish where it is the past participle of a word meaning to inspire affection. In English the word is used to denote someone who has a particular interest and enthusiasm for something.

Answer: Norwegian

The word ski comes from Norwegian and first appeared in English in the mid 18th century. The Norwegian word is derived from an Old Norse word 'skith', meaning snowshoe. In English the word is used as both a noun and a verb. As a verb it describes the activity of skiing which involves travelling on snow on long, thin planks, each of which is referred to by the noun ski.

Answer: Arabic

The mathematical term algebra comes originally from the Arabic word 'al-jabr', meaning 'reunion of broken parts'. The term comes from the title of a 9th century Persian book on mathematics in which the word is used to refer to the act in mathematics of moving something from one side to the other in an equation.

The word algebra was first used in English in relation to mathematics in the 16th century.

Answer: Yiddish

A klutz is a term for a foolish or clumsy person and is used, particularly in US English, as a mild insult. The word originates from Yiddish, a language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews in Europe which is a combination of High German, Hebrew and Aramaic.

Answer: Chinese

To kowtow means to show respect or deference to someone in an excessive way, either to attempt to garner favour or because you are too frightened to stand up to them. The term comes from the name of a Chinese custom meaning 'knock head' which involves showing respect to someone by kneeling and bending over so the forehead touches the ground.

The word came into English in the 19th century following diplomatic missions to China. While it was originally used to describe the Chinese custom it soon became used to describe any kind of grovelling or submission and become disconnected from the original Chinese meaning.

Answer: Inuit

A kayak is a small boat similar to a canoe, however a canoe is propelled by a single bladed paddle while a kayak is propelled with a double bladed paddle. The word can also be used in English as a verb to denote travelling by kayak. The word came into the English language from the Inuit word for a small boat used for hunting which was usually made from animal skins stretched over a frame.

Answer: Sanskrit

The word avatar comes from the Sanskrit language where it means descent. In Hinduism the term refers to an earthly, material manifestation of a diety. In modern English the word has come to mean something that stands in for something else and is commonly used in the worlds of computing and gaming to refer to a digital version or identifier of a person in a digital world.