Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are
words that have a common etymological origin.
This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus (blood relative).[1]
For example, the
English words shirt and skirt are doublets;
the former derives from the Old
English sċyrte, while the latter is loaned
from Old Norse skyrta, both of
which derive from the Proto-Germanic *skurtijǭ.
Additional cognates of the same word in other Germanic languages include
the German Schürze and Dutch schort (which
both mean "apron").
False cognates
False
cognates are words that are commonly thought to be
related (have a common origin) whereas linguistic examination reveals they are
unrelated. Thus, for example, on the basis of superficial similarities one
might suppose that the Latin verb habere and German haben,
both meaning 'to have', were cognates. However, an understanding of the way
words in the two languages evolve fromProto-Indo-European (PIE)
roots shows that they cannot be cognate (see for example Grimm's
law). German haben (like
English have) in fact comes from PIE *kh₂pyé-[citation needed] 'to
grasp', and its real cognate in Latin is capere, 'to seize, grasp,
capture'. Latin habere, on the other hand, is from PIE *gʰabʰ[citation needed],
'to give, to receive', and hence cognate with English give and
German geben. English much and Spanish mucho also
look similar and even have a similar meaning yet are not cognates, with much <
Proto-Germanic *mikilaz <
PIE *meg-,
while mucho < Latin multum < PIE *mel-.[6]
Similarity of
words between languages does not prove that the words are related, in much the
same way as facial resemblance does not prove relatedness of people. Over the
course of hundreds and thousands of years, words may change their sound
completely. For example, English over and Hebrew ′avar are
not cognates, and neither are English dog and Mbabaram dog. False cognates arise
in the same way as false
or folk etymology, spurious explanations for
the origin of words.
False cognates
Cuántas veces no hemos escuchado, escrito o dicho: “I actually work and
study.” queriendo expresar “Actualmente estudio y trabajo”… pero ¿estás seguro que
es la traducción correcta?
En inglés existen muchas palabras que suenan y se escriben casi igual
que en español, pero ¡cuidado! —no tienen el mismo significado, son “falsos amigos” o false cognates
(falsos cognados).
Se les llama “false cognates” a las palabras en inglés que por la forma
en la que se escriben o se pronuncian, se parecen mucho a una palabra en
español, pero en realidad el significado es diferente.
Volviendo a nuestro ejemplo:
I actually work and study.
§ Actually – Se parece a
la palabra actualmente; sin embargo, significa inreality o
really (en realidad o realmente).
§ Actualmente
se traduce como currently.
Por lo que, si quieres expresar: “Actualmente estudio y trabajo.” la
forma correcta es: I currently work and study.
Puesto que hay muchas palabras que pueden prestarse a confusión, aquí
una lista con los false cognates más comunes:
False cognates
Palabra en inglés
|
Significado
|
Palabra en español
|
Traducción
|
actual
|
real,
verdadero
|
actual
|
current,
present
|
actually
|
en
realidad,realmente, en efecto
|
actualmente
|
currently,
nowadays
|
advertise
|
publicidad,
propaganda
|
advertir
|
to warn
|
to
assist
|
ayudar
|
asistir
(a un lugar)
|
to
attend
|
apt
|
propenso,
acertado, apropiado
|
apto
|
capable,suitable,able
to
|
assessor
|
evaluador(a),
tasador(a)
|
asesor
|
advisor,
consultant
|
bark
|
ladrido
|
barco
|
boat,
ship
|
brave
|
valiente
|
bravo
|
fierce
|
camp
|
campamento
(de verano, militar)
|
campo
|
field
|
cap
|
gorra
|
capa
|
layer
|
carpet
|
alfombra,
tapete
|
carpeta
|
folder
|
cartoon
|
dibujos
animados, chiste gráfico
|
cartón
|
cardboard
|
cave
|
cueva
|
cavar
|
to dig
|
compromise
|
acuerdo
mutuo, arreglo
|
compromiso
|
engagement
|
collar
|
cuello
(ropa) collar (para animales)
|
collar
|
necklace
|
college
|
facultad,
universidad
|
colegio
|
school
|
commodity
|
artículo,
producto, mercancía
|
comodidad
|
comfort
|
complexion
|
tez,
cutis, tono de la piel
|
complexión
|
constitution
|
conductor
|
director
(de orquesta), conductor eléctrico, cobrador
|
conductor
(vehículo)
|
driver
|
confident
|
seguro
de sí mismo,seguro, hecho con confianza o seguridad
|
confidente
|
confidant
|
crane
|
grúa,
to crane: estirar
|
cráneo
|
skull,
cranium
|
curse
|
maldición
|
curso
|
course
|
dessert
|
postre
|
desierto
|
desert
|
dinner
|
cena
|
dinero
|
money
|
disgust
|
asco,
repugnancia
|
disgustar
|
to get
upset
|
disparate
|
dispar,
distinto
|
disparate
|
foolish act, to make foolish remarks
|
diversion
|
desviación,
malversación
|
diversión
|
fun
|
economics
|
economía
|
económicos
|
cheap
|
embarrassed
|
avergonzado(a)
|
embarazada
|
pregnant
|
emergence
|
aparición,
surgimiento
|
emergencia
|
emergency
|
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