Hello and thank you for your interesting question. Tracking down the
answer was a good reminder of what an incredible resource the Internet
provides.
According to two sources, one of them appearing in an obsessive
compilation on the "amber listserv", the Egyptian word for "amber" is
"sekal"
No further information on the derivation of the term "sekal" but I've
included below the apparent story behind "elektron," and a tour of
"amber" as rendered in many, many other languages. According to one
contributor the name "elektron" may have first referred to its bright
or shiny surface, and only later became associated with its attractive
power.
Amberica West
http://www.ambericawest.com/names.html
Amber listserv
http://academy.d20.co.edu/kadets/listserv/archive12b.html
[T]he term "elektron" means "bright or shining thing". Elektron was
the first term used to indicate amber, as reported for example in
Omero's poems, in Erodotus 3rd book, in "Timeo" by Platone, in the 6th
Book of Diodoro Siculo, in
"Meteorologia" by Aristotele, in the "Book of stones" by Teofrasto, in
the
"Materia Medica" by Dioscoride, etc., In ancient Greek, "Elektor" was
one
of the several names used to define the sun (by the way, the moon was
called
"Elektris"). Therefore it is believed that amber was called "elektron"
as
originated from these terms, and to refer to shining "stars", since
amber
itself is shining."
....
A-Shih-Mo-Chieh-P'o: China
Agdsten: Yiddish (from any of the many places, the Jewish culture
settled)
Ambar: Spain (also linked to an Arabic word, from which amber is
derived)
Amber: English-speaking Countries
Ambra: Italy
Ambre: France
Anbernen: Ancient Belgian term, meaning 'to burn'
Barnsten: Sweden
Barnsteen: South Africa (Afrikaans)
Barnsten: Yiddish (from any of the many places, the Jewish culture
settled)
Berenikis: Greece, (A historic reference to a blonde-haired queen
Berenice
II, wife of king Tolomeo Eurgete)
Bernstein: Germany (meaning stone that burns)
Burshtinen: Yiddish, used as an adjective
Bursztyn: Poland
Captured Sunshine, (Poetic)
Dzintars: Latvia
Elektron: Latin (Ancient Greek, possibly meaning 'bright material';
more
accurately due to negative electrical charge acquired by friction; a
basis
for our word 'electricity')
Fehg: China
Fossil Resin: Standard term
Freja's Tears: Poetic, Nordic
Fuling: China
Fung Chi: China
Gintaras: Lithuania
Glessum, Glesum: (Per E. Ragazzi, ancient German term, reported by
Latin
author Tacito; English term 'glass' possibly evolved from this)
Hardened Honey: (Poetic)
Harpaks: Ancient Syria
Hsiang P'o: China
Hu Po: China, Poetic term - 'Tiger's Soul'
Huh P'o: China , Poetic term - 'Tears of the Tiger'
Jantar: Poland
Kah Ruba: India
Karabe: Ancient Italian: taken fromArabic term meaining "material that
attracts straw", alluding to the electrostatic properties of amber
Kehribar: Turkey
Kehruba: Turkey (poetic meaning of 'straw thief')
Kao Li: China
Kohaku: Japan
Langurium, Lyncurium: Latin, from lincurio meaning 'urine of lynx' -
formerly believed as condensed urine of Lynx & also associated with
Liguria,
a region of Italy where amber was supposed to be found
Merevaik: Estonia
Ming P'o: China
Nan P'o: China
Gold: (Poetic)
Petrified Light: (Poetic)
Poh She: Tibet, Korea
Pterygophon: (Ancient Greek, meaning 'material that attracts
feathers',
erferring to electrostatic properties of amber)
Rav: India
Retinite: (Minerological name for amber NOT containing succinic acid)
Sacrium: Ancient Scizia from the Jutland region we now know as Denmark
Sea Gold: (Poetic)
Shih Chien: China
Soukinos: ancient Greek for amber (juice), deriving from Latin
succinum
Succinite: Mineralogical name of amber fromBaltic, since succininc
acid is
contained therein
Succino: Ancient Italian, translation of succinum
Succinum: Latin (Meaning 'juice')
Sun Tears: Poetic
Sung Chi: China
Tears of the Heliades: Poetic, Greek
Tiger's Soul: Poetic, Asian
Trnagrahin:
Tun Mou: China, Viet Nam
Wo Kuoh: China, Korea
Yantar: Russia, Bielorus, Ukraine, etc.
Yainitar: Phoenicia
African (Ashanti Tribe): Nka Pa - (Don't ask how I know this)
Arabic: Kahroba (it means raw rubber)
Armenian: Sot
Egyptian: Sekal
Present Greek: Ambrosia (there are a few greek versions)
Hebrew: Ghashmal (Say it quick and someone may say "Bless you")
Hungarian: Borostyan
Portuguese: Alambre
Romanian: Chihlinbar
Spanish: Succina (ambar is another)
Thai: Ching Peh
Ukranian: Borostyan
Search terms used:
amber egyptian arabic
Thank you again for bringing us your question. If any of my answer is
unclear, please request clarification. I would appreciate it if you
would hold off on rating my answer until I have a chance to reply.
Sincerely,
Google Answers Researcher
richard-ga |
