Comments on: Spa http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adriana http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-40000 Adriana Fri, 25 May 2012 00:03:00 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-40000 Could you answer a burning question that has troubled me for over 30 years? The connection between "trunk" in American English to the British English "boot". What is the origin of "boot" for the trunk of a car? Will be very grateful to know. Could you answer a burning question that has troubled me for over 30 years? The connection between “trunk” in American English to the British English “boot”. What is the origin of “boot” for the trunk of a car? Will be very grateful to know.

]]> By: Alice http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-16215 Alice Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:52:48 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-16215 SPA stands for Sanum per Aqua-the Latin phrase used by the Romans to say "health through water (bathing). SPA stands for Sanum per Aqua-the Latin phrase used by the Romans to say “health through water (bathing).

]]> By: Harry http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-8863 Harry Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:33:22 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-8863 Enjoyed reading your etymology on 'spa,' and I feel reassured that reason has not yet retreated, fully. However, a word of caution: There are self-anointed word origin gurus who time and again manage to plant their concoctions into peoples' minds, such as 'the hotel lawyer, James Butler' and his claim that spa is derived from a 1st century Roman acronym, which I refuse to repeat, here. Bottom line: The more grotesque, the greater the gullibility. P.S.: In terms of Jackie's query on "old Walloon:" One would be hard pressed to find a "Walloon" word. Such a word would be of Celtic origin (Walloon= Welsh=Gaul=Celt), Latin or Frankish (or, with regard to the latter, also Teudisc=Old German), which were the principal languages spoken in the area before the emergence of medieval French. Enjoyed reading your etymology on ‘spa,’ and I feel reassured that reason has not yet retreated, fully. However, a word of caution: There are self-anointed word origin gurus who time and again manage to plant their concoctions into peoples’ minds, such as ‘the hotel lawyer, James Butler’ and his claim that spa is derived from a 1st century Roman acronym, which I refuse to repeat, here. Bottom line: The more grotesque, the greater the gullibility.

P.S.: In terms of Jackie’s query on “old Walloon:” One would be hard pressed to find a “Walloon” word. Such a word would be of Celtic origin (Walloon=
Welsh=Gaul=Celt), Latin or Frankish (or, with regard to the latter, also Teudisc=Old German), which were the principal languages spoken in the area before the emergence of medieval French.

]]> By: Lacey Cook http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-4840 Lacey Cook Wed, 19 May 2010 09:35:47 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-4840 i love to take a bath in a Hot Tub, this was the first thing that i installed in our newly built house.;`* i love to take a bath in a Hot Tub, this was the first thing that i installed in our newly built house.;`*

]]> By: Joannah http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-4111 Joannah Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:03:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-4111 Oups, sorry about the spelling, I ment 'spargerea geamului'. I'm typing faster than I'm thinking, lol. Oups, sorry about the spelling, I ment ‘spargerea geamului’. I’m typing faster than I’m thinking, lol.

]]> By: Joannah http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/spa/comment-page-1/#comment-4110 Joannah Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:02:49 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/05/03/spa/#comment-4110 Funny, in Romanian (which is a latin origina language) spargere means breaking. For example spargerea geamuluil means breaking of the window. You're right I think spa has nothing to do with the term spargere. Funny, in Romanian (which is a latin origina language) spargere means breaking. For example spargerea geamuluil means breaking of the window. You’re right I think spa has nothing to do with the term spargere.

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