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Are the words channel, canal and cane connected? Let find out in this Adventure in Etymology.
Meanings of channel [ˈtʃænəl] as a noun include:
- The hollow bed of running waters.
- The navigable part of a river.
- A narrow body of water between two land masses.
- A specific radio frequency or band of frequencies used for transmitting radio or television.
As a verb, to channel can mean:
- To make or cut a channel or groove in.
- To direct or guide along a desired course.
- To serve as a medium for.
It comes from Middle English chanel (a river or sea bed, a navigable channel in a river, a gutter, drain or ditch), from Old French chenel (channel [of water]), from Latin canālis (pipe, spout, channel, gutter, groove), from canna (reed, cane), from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna – reed, reed mat), from Akkadian 𒂵𒉡𒌑𒌝 (qanûm – reed) [source].
Alternatively, the Ancient Greek word κάννα (kánna – reed, reed mat) comes from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû – reed), Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 (gi.na – reed), from 𒄀 (gi – reed, measuring reed, unit of length equal to 6 cubits) [source].
Words from the same roots include canal, cannula and cane in English, قَنَاة (qanāh – channel, canal, spear) in Arabic, canna (cane, barrel, rod, tube) in Italian, caneta (pen) in Portuguese, and canol (centre, middle) in Welsh [source].
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I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.
