Afrykańskie pochodzenie łacińskiej nazwy żyrafy
The African origin of the Latin name of giraffe

Summary/Abstract: The authors review the problem of the origin of the Latin name for ‘giraffe’, nabus, indicating a South African (Central Khoisan) source of the borrowing, cf. Deti ŋábè, Nama !nai-b; !nae-b ‘giraffe’, Korana !nai-b, Naro ŋ!nábé; n!ábé, G//ana ŋábì; ngabe, #Haba ŋ!ĩˆbè ‘id.’ (< Central Khoisan *ɳ!ábè). The Latin term nabus is attested for the first time in Natural History, a well known Roman encyclopedia, written by Pliny the Elder (died 79 AD), and repeated by Solinus (3rd c. AD). As giraffe denotes an African animal, it is necessary to discuss some controversial aspects, including possible ways of the South African term for ‘giraffe’ penetrating the Classical (Greek-Latin) world.

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