#loan words

An airbag is a very palpable description for the life-saver inside a vehicle. Airbags are—of course—bags inflating within milliseconds after crashing into something. The most common airbag can be found in the front seats of cars and has the function to protect the head from an impact.

»Airbag« is a loan word in German that is used in everyday speech. It is interesting to note, that the invention can be traced back to Germany. Mr. Walter Lindener ranks as the inventor with his patent registered in 1951 in Munich. However, the name »airbag« came much later. In 1974 GM released cars with »Air Cushion Restrain Systems«. In the 80’s and 90’s the airbag systems became more common and as did the name »airbag«. Not only in English speaking countries but also in Germany.

Although German has its own words to describe the function of an airbag, they were never really used. Ask a native-speaker how »Luftsack« or »Prallkissen« sounds to him/her and you will often hear answers like ridiculous. 

In comparison to German the Swedish language used its own word. In Swedish the airbag it is called »krockkudde« and is a two noun word consisting of the word »krock« for »collision« and »kudde« for »cushion/pillow«.

Photo: 
Jørgen Schyberg https://flic.kr/p/7LdWQ

Idea:
Evasundine1 https://twitter.com/evasundin1/statuses/451256048150904832

Discover the differences and similarities between the three languages.

To find out more about loan words written with »ph«, see my former posts like philosophy,phobiaandphysics.

Thanks for contributing some words adaldag =)

Do you have further words?

Another great example how the Swedish language deals with loan words with a »ph« from Ancient Greek. »Physics« means »knowledge of nature«.

For further examples check the last posts.

Do you find more?

After I explained yesterday the different ways of adapting loan words to the Swedish language here is another funny example of a word rooted in Ancient Greek. »Phobia« means »fear« or »anxiety«.

Yesterday’s example: filosofi.

Photo: A. Georghiou http://flic.kr/p/JDbSN

Are there more examples?

Once again: Swedish can be very easy.

The English word »philosophy« has it’s roots in the Greek and Latin word »Philosophia« (philo-meansloving, sophia means wisdom). It expresses »the love for knowledge and the pursuit of wisdom«.

So, »philosophy« is a loan word for the three Germanic languages. In German »Philosophie« is completely the same spelling like the French  version that adapted it first. This can often be observed when it comes to loan words in the German language. They try avoiding the adaptation of words into their writing and spelling system.

In comparison to German, the Swedish language has a different approach when it comes to loan words. They adjust almost every loan word to their own writing and spelling system. By observing the example »philosophy« that means that first the »ph« can be replaced with a simple »f«. Secondly, the »e« in the ending of the French »philosophie« can be economized because it is not necessary for pronunciation. In the end »philosophie« becomes »filosofi« in the Swedish language.

Here you can listen to »filosofi« and »Philosophie« (German/French).

Photo: wortmeer: http://flic.kr/p/62CWjU
References:http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=philosophy

Here you can see another example: »Ingenjör«.
Do you have more examples?