In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin, therefore they are similar both as regards their sounds and their meanings, in different languages: pai (Portuguese), father (English), padre (Italian), pére (French), pater (Latin) and pitar (Sanskrit) are cognates that descend from languages in the same family, the Indo-European. The same phenomenon occurs when we compare words from different language families. In this case, another factor also needs to be taken into account and that is the different manner by which certain sounds are voiced, such as when the Portuguese “l” becomes “r” in Japanese, “v” becomes “b”, and so forth.
As the Portuguese Empire spread worldwide between the 14th and 16th centuries, so did the Portuguese language that rapidly took hold throughout the Far East where the first contacts between discoverers and locals was facilitated by polyglot interpreters, so-called lingoas. Not only was Portuguese widely spoken by the colonial governors and by merchants, it was the lingua franca between local authorities and Europeans of all nationalities. Mixed marriages between Portuguese and locals also helped the spread of the language[i] and many Portuguese words were adopted by local languages when Jesuit missionaries from Portugal introduced Christian ideas and objects.
The following table[ii] gives examples of many of these cognates that have survived to the present day.
†archaic word
|
Japanese |
Japanese Meaning |
Pre-modern |
Modern |
English |
Comments |
|
arukōru |
alcohol |
alcool |
álcool |
alcohol |
originally from Arabic, term possibly brought to Japan by the Portuguese |
|
† bateren |
a Jesuit missionary priest |
padre |
padre |
priest |
used in early Christianity |
|
battera |
kind of sushi |
bateira |
- (barco) |
boat |
named after its shape |
|
bīdoro |
a certain traditional |
vidro |
vidro |
glass |
|
|
birōdo |
velvet |
veludo |
veludo |
velvet |
|
|
bōro |
a small cake |
bolo |
bolo |
cake |
keiki (from the English cake) is most used today. |
|
botan |
button |
botão |
botão |
button |
|
|
charumera |
small double-reed wind instrument |
charamela |
charamela |
wind pipe |
formerly played by Japanese noodle vendors |
|
chokki |
waistcoat |
jaque |
colete |
waistcoat |
|
|
furasuko |
flask |
frasco |
frasco |
flask |
|
|
iesu or iezusu |
Jesus |
Jesu |
Jesus |
Jesus |
Possibly of latin origin from the Jesuit mass |
|
† iruman |
unordained missionary/ |
irmão |
irmão |
brother |
used in early Christianity |
|
jōro |
watering can |
jarro |
jarro |
jug |
|
|
juban/jiban |
underwear for kimonos |
jibão |
– (roupa íntima) |
underwear |
From FR cognate jupon meaning undergarment |
|
kanakin/kanekin |
shirting, percale |
canequim |
canequim |
unbleached muslin/calico |
|
|
† kandeya |
oil lamp |
candeia, candela |
vela, candeia |
candle |
extinct, as oil lamps went obsolete |
|
† kapitan |
captain |
capitão |
capitão |
captain |
|
|
kappa |
raincoat |
capa |
capa (de chuva)/ impermeável |
raincoat, coat |
reinkōto (from the English raincoat) is common today |
|
karuta |
karuta cards |
cartas (de jogar) |
cartas (de jogar) |
playing cards |
a traditional type of playing cards, quite different from the modern ones |
|
† kirishitan |
Christians in the 16th-17th centuries |
christão |
cristão |
Christian |
Today's Christians are kurisuchan (from the English). |
|
kirisuto |
Christ |
Christo |
Cristo |
Christ |
|
|
Kompeitō |
Kind of star-shaped candy |
confeito |
confeito |
sweets, candies |
|
|
koppu |
cup |
copo |
copo |
cup |
|
|
kurusu |
cross |
cruz |
cruz |
cross |
|
|
kyarameru / karameru |
caramel |
caramelo |
caramelo |
caramel |
|
|
manto |
cloak |
manto |
manto |
cloak |
|
|
marumero |
quince |
marmelo |
marmelo |
quince |
|
|
meriyasu |
a kind of knit textile |
medias |
meias |
hosiery, knitting |
|
|
mīra |
mummy |
mirra |
mirra |
myrrh |
Originally, mummies embalmed using myrrh. |
|
oranda |
The Netherlands |
Hollanda |
Holanda |
The Netherlands/ Holland |
|
|
orugan |
organ |
orgão |
orgão |
organ |
|
|
pan |
bread |
pão |
pão |
bread |
The word was introduced into Japan by Portuguese missionaries. |
|
rasha |
a kind of wool woven textile |
raxa |
– feltro |
felt |
cloth |
|
rozario |
rosary |
rosario |
rosário |
rosary |
|
|
† sabato |
Saturday |
sábado |
sábado |
Saturday |
|
|
sarasa |
chintz |
saraça |
chintz |
||
|
shabon |
soap |
sabão |
sabão |
soap |
usually seen in shabon-dama ('soap bubbles') in modern Japanese |
|
tabako |
tobacco, cigarette |
tobaco |
tabaco |
tobacco, cigarette |
|
|
totan |
galvanized sheet iron |
tutanaga |
corrugated roofing material |
||
|
tempura |
deep-fried seafood/ vegetables |
tempero, temperar; tempora |
tempero, temperar; tempora |
seasoning, to season; |
|
|
zabon |
citrine/ |
zamboa |
zamboa |
type of citrine |
What is is the connection between the Japanese arigato gozaimasu (thank you very much) and the Portuguese obrigado, both words expressing Thank You? None, at least not apparently. The short form of the Japanese expression, arigato, has its origin in the verb aru (to have) and the ending gatai (difficult) and it existed in Japan long before the Portuguese arrived in the country.[iii] The Portuguese expression obrigado, on the other hand, has its origin in the Latin verb obrigare (to be obliged). Still, although there is no apparent phological connection between both words, seeing as how nowadays both are used to express the same sentiment, this similarity could be more than a mere coincidence…
[i]Professora Lúcia Vaz Pedro, no Jornal de Notícias, “A Evolução do Português”, in This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 2012-04-21.
[ii] Japanese Words of Portuguese Origin, descarregado 2012-15-07 de http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/portuguese.html.
[iii] Jonathan Lewis, “Origins of Arigato”, in http://linguistlist.org/issues/12/12-1871.html.