| There are many words we use in English that had | | | | "little fly." Mosquitoes may be little, but they have a |
| their origin in Spanish or a related language. Some are | | | | mean bite. |
| obvious, some not so much. But this is a fun topic and | | | | Patio. Come summer time, Americans love hanging out |
| you will probably be surprised where many of the | | | | on the patio, grilling up some barbecue and swatting |
| phrases you probably use all the time come from. | | | | mosquitoes. The word "patio" is actually a Spanish |
| Barbecue. Ah yes, nothing is more American than | | | | word that means "back garden" or "back yard." |
| barbecue, right? Wrong! "Barbecue" derives from the | | | | Potato. We Americans love to chow down on some |
| word "barbacoa," which is a Carribean word. The | | | | potatoes with our meat. But did you know that the |
| Arawakan Indians living on the island of Hispaniola used | | | | world's largest potato producer is China? Who knew? |
| the word "barbacoa," which referred to the | | | | The word has its origin in the word "patata," a Spanish |
| construction of a wood stick frame over a fire for the | | | | word that is a compound of the words "batata," which |
| purpose of drying meat. Over time, the word came to | | | | means "sweet potato," and "papa," which means |
| mean cooking meat, rather than drying it. | | | | "potato." So the Spanish word actually sort-of refers |
| Chocolate. In the last few years, Americans have | | | | to potatoes as sweet potatoes in a more generic |
| begun consuming less chocolate due to diet and health | | | | sense, even though there is little relation between the |
| concerns. But you can't deny that we still love it. You | | | | two. You can always just call them "Irish potatoes" like |
| probably didn't know that the sweet stuff actually | | | | we do down on the farm. |
| derives from the word "xocolati," which is an Aztec | | | | Tobacco. You know it's not good for you, but you do it |
| word that means "bitter water." If not mixed with a | | | | anyway. Hey, we're Americans. The word has its |
| sweetener, the taste of chocolate is actually quite | | | | origin in the device used by pre-Columbian inhabitants |
| bitter. | | | | of Hayti to smoke tobacco. The word came to refer |
| Hurricane. These things have been giving us hell the | | | | to the plant itself, and not the device used to smoke it. |
| last few years. But it's not just an American | | | | Tornado. This comes from the Spanish word |
| phenomenon. The word comes from the Spanish | | | | "tronada," which means "thunderstorm." It is speculated |
| word "huracn," which means "God of Evil" in Carib, the | | | | that our modern version of the word is a combination |
| language of indigenous people on the Northern coast | | | | of "tronada" and "tornar," which means "to turn." Thus, |
| of South America. | | | | it's a thunderstorm that turns. Sounds about right. |
| Mosquito. For those of us in the South, we love our | | | | So now, the next time you're having a conversation |
| mosquitoes...well, maybe we don't love them, but we | | | | with your friends, and one of them says "Let's |
| sure have a lot of them! The word comes from the | | | | barbecue some potatoes on the patio and smoke |
| Spanish words "mosca," which means "fly," and "ito," | | | | some tobacco before the tornado arrives," you'll know |
| which means "little." Put them together and it means | | | | the original meaning of everything he said. |