Where does “falaka” come from?
falaka (Turkish) comes from Ottoman Turkish فلقه, from Arabic فَلَقَة, from Ancient Greek φάλαγξ, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵ- — to balk, beam.
falaka (Turkish): birch rod, bastinado
Definitions
- birch rod, bastinado
Ancestry of “falaka”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottoman Turkish | فلقه | stout staff with a loop of rope let through two holes, by which the feet of a culprit are held up for the punishment of the bastinado |
| 2 | Arabic | فَلَقَة | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | φάλαγξ | line of battle, battle-array; ranks of an army;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰelǵ- | to balk, beam |