# All Slavic Languages: Watercrafts



## iobyo

The names of different watercrafts in your language (boat, ship, raft, etc.) and their etymology.


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## TriglavNationalPark

Some *Slovenian* terms with abbreviated etymological information based on Marko Snoj's _Slovenski etimološki slovar_:

*ladja* = ship (from proto-Slavic **oldi* = boat, with a proto-IE etymology)

*čoln* = boat (from proto-Slavic **čьlnъ* = log, with a possible proto-IE etymology)

*splav* = raft (from *splaviti* = to transport wood by water; from *s + plaviti* =  to cause  to float)

*brod* = a raft used to cross a river (from proto-Slavic and archaic Slovenian *brodъ* = a shallow part of a river where it's possible to wade across; from *bresti* = to wade)* Note:* This is a Slovenian/BCS false friend. In BCS, *brod* = ship.

*pletna, pletnja* = a covered boat used to transport people to the church in the middle of Lake Bled; photo (from Bavarian German *Plätten* = a watercraft with a flat bottom; from Latin *plata, platta* = a watercraft with a flat bottom)

*plovilo* = watercraft (*pluti* = to float from IE **pleu* = to swim, to float)

*jadrnica* = sailboat (*jadro* = sail from proto-Slavic **edro* = something lush, expansive; with a proto-IE etymology)


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## iobyo

Thank you, TriglavNationalPark.


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## Mishe

TriglavNationalPark said:


> Some *Slovenian* terms with abbreviated etymological information based on Marko Snoj's _Slovenski etimološki slovar_:
> 
> *ladja* = ship (from proto-Slavic **oldi* = boat, with a proto-IE etymology)
> 
> *čoln* = boat (from proto-Slavic **čьlnъ* = log, with a possible proto-IE etymology)
> 
> *splav* = raft (from *splaviti* = to transport wood by water; from *s + plaviti* = to cause to float)
> 
> *brod* = a raft used to cross a river (from proto-Slavic and archaic Slovenian *brodъ* = a shallow part of a river where it's possible to wade across; from *bresti* = to wade)* Note:* This is a Slovenian/BCS false friend. In BCS, *brod* = ship.
> 
> *pletna, pletnja* = a covered boat used to transport people to the church in the middle of Lake Bled; photo (from Bavarian German *Plätten* = a watercraft with a flat bottom; from Latin *plata, platta* = a watercraft with a flat bottom)
> 
> *plovilo* = watercraft (*pluti* = to float from IE **pleu* = to swim, to float)
> 
> *jadrnica* = sailboat (*jadro* = sail from proto-Slavic **edro* = something lush, expansive; with a proto-IE etymology)


 

I'm not really sure what brod means in Slovenian. I've never heard anybody use it (except for suburb of Ljubljana named Brod). What kind of raft would that be?


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## TriglavNationalPark

Mishe said:


> I'm not really sure what brod means in Slovenian. I've never heard anybody use it (except for suburb of Ljubljana named Brod). What kind of raft would that be?



The word *brod* is used for rafts that were once commonly used to transport people across rivers. The ones on the Mura were particularly famous and a few are still around.

HERE's an example from a news story.

@iobyo: Glad I could help!


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## Mishe

I see. Thank you TriglavNationalPark.


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## Kanes

Bulgarian

ship - кораб
boat - лодка
raft - сал
sailing ship - платноход


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## Daniel.N

Croatian*

lađa* ship (a smaller one) < see Slovene
*barka* boat (in coastal areas) < Venetian
*čamac* (gen. čamca) small boat < Turkish çam
*brod* ship < see Slovene
*plovilo* "generic" watercraft < see Slovene
*splav* raft < see Slovene
*jedrilica* small ship powered by sails < jedro "sail" (see Slovene)
*jedrenjak* large ship powered by sails < jedro
*parobrod* steam-powered ship (para "steam" + brod) < *para, *parъ
*trajekt* ferry < German Trajekt
*ribarica* fishing ship (riba "fish")
*tunolovac *tuna fishing ship (tuna + lovac < lov "hunt" < *lovъ)

Some words are derived from them: brod > brodić, etc.

some recent loans are *tanker* etc.

also, there is a substantial number of words for small ships with regional use: *leut*, *gajeta*... all from Venetian or Italian.

There are also archaic:

*korablja* "sailing ship" < OCS *korab
*čun* "small boat" < see Slovene


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## Azori

Slovak

*plavidlo *- watercraft
*loď *- ship
*čln, člnok, loďka* - boat
*bárka *- boat
*plť *- raft
*plachetnica *- sailing boat
*parník *- steamboat
*jachta *- yacht
*trajekt *- ferry
*koráb *- ark


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## werrr

*Czech*

*Words of Slavic origin*

*plavidlo* (watercraft) see Slovene *plovilo*

*loď* (ship) see Slovene *ladja*

*člun* (boat) see Slovene *čoln*

*koráb* (ark) < Proto-Slavic **korab’ь/*korabъ*, likely cognate to Proto-Slavic **korbъ* (~ basket) 

*vor* (raft) < Proto-Slavic **vorъ* which is based on **verti* (~ to clamp); solely Czech in this meaning, but compare with old Russian *vor* (~ paling, fence)

*plť* (raft) - archaic, same origin as *plavidlo*

*prám, pramice* (scow, ferryboat) < Proto-Slavic **pormъ* < PIE **pormo-* based on PIE **per-*; compare with Polish *prom*, Russian *paróm, poróm*, but also Old Upper German *farm* (~ boat) or Old Icelandic *farmr* (~ freight, load, shipment); cognate to German *fahren*

*plachetnice* (sailboat) from *plachta* (~ sail, canvas) < Proto-Slavic **plachъta* of more or less identical meaning

*veslice* (rowboat) form *veslo* (~ oar) < Proto-Slavic **veslo* based on Proto-Slavic **vezti* (~ carry, transport)

*přívoz* (ferry) < Proto-Slavic prefix **per-* + **vezti* (~ carry, transport)

*parník* (steamboat) from *pára* (~ steam) < Proto-Slavic **para/*parъ * < PIE **per-, *prē-*

*vznášedlo* (howercraft) < Proto-Slavic prefix **vъz* + **nositi* (~ carry, bear)

*ponorka* (submarine) < Proto-Slavic prefix **po* + **noriti (sę)* (~ sink) 

*ledoborec* (icebreaker) < Proto-Slavic **ledъ* (~ ice) + Proto-Czech **boriti* (~ break, ruin; from Proto-Slavic **oboriti* by false decomposition) 

*Obsolete words of Slavic origin*

*splav* (raft) see Slovene

*Ancient loanwords*

*šíf* (ship) < German *Schiff* < Germanic **skipa-* < PIE **skei-*

*bárka* (barge) < German *Barke* < late Latin *barca* < Greak *bãris* (ship, raft) likely from Coptic *bāri*

*archa* < German *Arche* < Latin *arca*

*Modern loanwords*

*škuner* (schooner) < American English *schooner* < *scooner*

*šalupa* (sloop) < German *Schaluppe* < French *chaloupe* < dialectal *chalope* (~ nutshell) < Germanic/Dutch *sloep* (~ sloop) based on *sluipen* (~ slip, sneak)

*jola* (yawl) < German *Jolle* likely from Norwegian *kjōll* (~ ship, barque)

*remorkér* (tugboat) < French *remorqueur* < *remorquer* (tow) < late Latin *remulcāre* < Latin *remulcum* (towrope) < Greek *rhȳmoulkéō* (tow) < *rhȳmós* (rope) < helkéō (haul, drag) 

+ tons of other loanwords with the same etymology as English counterparts: skif, raft, trajekt, kajak, kánoe, gondola, karavela, galeona, galéra, brigantina, korveta…


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## Mishe

Daniel.N said:


> Croatian*
> 
> lađa* ship (a smaller one) < see Slovene
> *barka* boat (in coastal areas) < Venetian
> *čamac* (gen. čamca) small boat < Turkish çam
> *brod* ship < see Slovene
> *plovilo* "generic" watercraft < see Slovene
> *splav* raft < see Slovene
> *jedrilica* small ship powered by sails < jedro "sail" (see Slovene)
> *jedrenjak* large ship powered by sails < jedro
> *parobrod* steam-powered ship (para "steam" + brod) < *para, *parъ
> *trajekt* ferry < German Trajekt
> *ribarica* fishing ship (riba "fish")
> *tunolovac *tuna fishing ship (tuna + lovac < lov "hunt" < *lovъ)
> 
> Some words are derived from them: brod > brodić, etc.
> 
> some recent loans are *tanker* etc.
> 
> also, there is a substantial number of words for small ships with regional use: *leut*, *gajeta*... all from Venetian or Italian.
> 
> There are also archaic:
> 
> *korablja* "sailing ship" < OCS *korab
> *čun* "small boat" < see Slovene



Slovenian also has barka in the meaning of a smaller boat, I think.


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## Egrorian

May I add the varieties of a boat in Bulgarian:
 - платноходка - sailboat. Sinonymous with the above mentioned платноход, only the latter might be larger, e.g. a ship, while платноходка is usually a smaller boat.  
 - моторница - motorboat
 - рибарска лодка - fishing boat 
 - гребна лодка - paddle boat
 - баржа - barge (the Russian word is also баржа, I think)
 - яхта - yacht
 - параход - steam-boat
And two others:
 - ферибот - ferry boat
 - подводница - submarine


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