Where does “스페인” come from?
스페인 (Korean) comes from English Spain, from Middle English Spayne, from Old French Espaigne, from Old English Ispania, from Late Latin Spania, from Latin Hispānia, from Punic אי שפן — coast of hyraxes.
Ancestry of “스페인”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Spain | for someone with Spanish ancestry |
| 2 | Middle English | Spayne | Spain; the Iberian Peninsula, especially Castile |
| 3 | Old French | Espaigne | Iberia, the Iberian Peninsula; modern day Spain and Portugal |
| 4 | Old English | Ispania | the Iberian Peninsula |
| 5 | Late Latin | Spania | — |
| 6 | Latin | Hispānia | — |
| 7 | Punic | אי שפן | coast of hyraxes |