Reconstruction:Latin/characulum

This Latin entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Latin

Etymology

According to Leo Spitzer, a diminutive of an unattested Latin *charax, borrowed from Ancient Greek χάραξ (khárax, “pole, stick”);^[1]^[2]^[3] alternatively, Coromines proposes the form *caraculum, which he believes is ultimately derived from a Pre-Roman *kar (“rock”).^[4]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaˈɾaʎu/

Noun

*characulum m (plural *characulōs) (Proto-Ibero-Romance)

penis

Alternative reconstructions

*caraculum

Descendants

Asturian: carayu
Catalan: carall
- → Spanish: caray
  - → Asturian: carái
Leonese: carallu
Old Galician-Portuguese: caralho
- Fala: carallu
- Galician: carallo
- Portuguese: caralho
Old Spanish:
- Spanish: carajo

References

^ Spitzer, Leo (1921), “Lexikalisches aus dem katalanischen und den übrigen iberoromanischen Sprachen”, in Leo S. Olschki, editor, Biblioteca dell’ «Archivum romanicum» (Series II) (in German), volume 1, (footnote to p. 35 carajo), page 158.
^ Brüch, Josef (1935), “Span., port. bailar, ,,tanzen’’”, in Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie (in German), volume 55, page 654:
Nun entstand span. carajo „männliches Glied“ gewiſs mit kat. carall dass. aus lat. *characulum „kleiner Pfahl“, dem Diminutiv des durch characātus „mit Pfählen versehen“ Columellas für das Volkslatein Hispaniens gesicherten *charax, -acis „Pfahl“ griech. Ursprungs (Spitzer, BAR. II, 1, 158 unten, zu S. 35: Brüch, BAR. II, 3, 36 oben; Meyer-Lübke 1672b);
^ Leo Spitzer (1956), “A New Spanish Etymological Dictionary”, in Modern Language Notes‎^[1], volume 71, number 4, page 280.
^ Coromines, Joan; Pascual, José Antonio (1984), “CARAJO”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critical Castilian and Hispanic etymological dictionary]‎^[2] (in Spanish), volume I (A–Ca), Madrid: Gredos, →ISBN, pages 848–850.

[1] Spitzer, Leo (1921), “Lexikalisches aus dem katalanischen und den übrigen iberoromanischen Sprachen”, in Leo S. Olschki, editor, Biblioteca dell’ «Archivum romanicum» (Series II) (in German), volume 1, (footnote to p. 35 carajo), page 158.

[2] Brüch, Josef (1935), “Span., port. bailar, ,,tanzen’’”, in Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie (in German), volume 55, page 654:
Nun entstand span. carajo „männliches Glied“ gewiſs mit kat. carall dass. aus lat. *characulum „kleiner Pfahl“, dem Diminutiv des durch characātus „mit Pfählen versehen“ Columellas für das Volkslatein Hispaniens gesicherten *charax, -acis „Pfahl“ griech. Ursprungs (Spitzer, BAR. II, 1, 158 unten, zu S. 35: Brüch, BAR. II, 3, 36 oben; Meyer-Lübke 1672b);

[3] Leo Spitzer (1956), “A New Spanish Etymological Dictionary”, in Modern Language Notes‎^[1], volume 71, number 4, page 280.

[4] Coromines, Joan; Pascual, José Antonio (1984), “CARAJO”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critical Castilian and Hispanic etymological dictionary]‎^[2] (in Spanish), volume I (A–Ca), Madrid: Gredos, →ISBN, pages 848–850.

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