Where does “Narrenschiff” come from?
Narrenschiff (German) comes from German Schiff, from Middle High German schīf, from Old High German skif, from Proto-West Germanic skip, from Proto-Germanic skipą, from Proto-Indo-European sḱēy-, from Proto-Germanic skaidą, from Proto-Indo-European skÁit- — to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,...
Narrenschiff (German): ship of fools
Definitions
- ship of fools
Ancestry of “Narrenschiff”, step by step
Narrenschiff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Schiff
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Schiff | ship; nave |
| 2 | Middle High German | schīf | ship |
| 3 | Old High German | skif | ship, boat |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | skip | ship |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skipą | ship; hollow object |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |
via German narr
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | narr | fool a person being stupid or oblivious to facts |
| 2 | Middle High German | narre | — |
| 3 | Old High German | narro | clown; fool |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | nario | mocking, deriding, jeering at |
| 5 | Latin | naris | A nostril, nose; An opening, orifice, vent,... |
| 6 | Latin | nasus | nose; sense of smell; spout, nozzle |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s- | nose, nostril |