Where does “nahodha” come from?
nahodha (Swahili) comes from Arabic نَاخُوذَاة, from Persian ناخدا, from Persian ناوخدا, from Persian ناو, from Middle Persian nʾw, from Proto-Indo-European neh₂u-, from Proto-Indo-European néh₂us, from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₂- — to swim; to float.
nahodha (Swahili): captain
Ancestry of “nahodha”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Arabic | نَاخُوذَاة | — |
| 2 | Persian | ناخدا | skipper, shipmaster, master mariner; captain;... |
| 3 | Persian | ناوخدا | Alternative form of ناخدا |
| 4 | Persian | ناو | boat, small ship; warship; cruiser; anything long... |
| 5 | Middle Persian | nʾw | ship |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | neh₂u- | death; death; corpse; ship, boat |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂us | boat |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)neh₂- | to swim; to float |