# House + dwelling ?



## ThomasK

I think there are often two words for 'house', like : 



> *'house' *and *'dwelling' *or something the like,
> *'maison' *and *'demeure' *in French,
> *'huis'/'Haus' and 'woning'/ 'Wohnung'* in Dutch/ German.



What are your equivalents for the two? And by the way: why are there two, or even more? Is the second one more functional, referring to something like 'habitat' or 'living/ staying place'? [d_well =_ H/ L, _demeurer _= S, _wo(h)nen _= H/L...]

_(There have been other threads about __'house' vs. 'home'__, etc., but this is a different angle, I think.)

_


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## Dymn

Good question! 

Catalan word for 'house' is _casa_, but we also have _habitatge _and _domicili_, which could be the equivalent of 'dwelling'. The meaning is the same, but I'd say _habitatge_ and _domicili_ are a bit more formal, and more functional as you said, more "physical" maybe. In informal speech you'll never hear the two latter words. One of the definitions of _residència _is a synonym of _habitatge.

_In Spanish it's the same. 'House' is also translated as _casa_, and words for 'dwelling' could be _vivienda_, _domicilio_ and _residencia, _and I don't know if _morada _could also fit (which comes from the same root as French _demeure_).


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## ThomasK

You're right: there is also 'residentie', 'domicilie' in Dutch, etc., but the former is quite formal, implies a big house, the second is strictly administrative...


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## apmoy70

Hi TK,


In Greek we too have a few words for house:


1/ *«Σπίτι»* [ˈspiti] (neut.), aphetic form of Byz. neut. noun *«ὁσπίτιον» ospítion* and *«σπίτιον» spítion* --> _poorhouse, workhouse, house_ < Lat. hospitium and hospicium. 


2/ *«Οίκος»* [ikos] (masc.) < Classical masc. noun *«οἶκος oĩkŏs* --> _house, dwelling of any kind, abode, room, home, household, native land_ (PIE *ueiḱ-/*uoiḱ-, _house_ cf Skt. विश् (víś), _settlement, dwelling-place_, वेश (veśa), _brothel_; Lat. vīcus, _small civilian settlement_ > Eng. vicinity; Proto-Slavic *vьsь, _village_ > Rus. весь (dated) --> _village_, Cz./Svk. ves, Slo. vas, Pol. wieś, OCS вьсь > BCS вас/vas).   


3/ *«Κατοικία»* [katiˈci.a] (fem.) --> _dwelling place_ < Koine fem. noun *«κατοικίᾱ» kătoikíā* --> _habitation, dwelling-place, settlement_ < compound; prefix, preposition, and adverb *«κατὰ» katà*, and *«κάτα» kátă* --> _downwards, against, along, through, over, across, concerning_ (PIE *kmt-, _down, with, along_ cf Hitt. -katta (postpos.), _along, with_) + Classical masc. noun *«οἶκος oĩkŏs* (see above).


(1) is what we use in our every-day informal speech. (2) is more formal and usually employed to describe a dynasty lineage (a house-oίκος), οr a wine-producing estate (a château-οίκος). (3) is what we use when referring to a dwelling place, an abode.


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## ThomasK

The main distinction to me is between (a) and (b). (c) is obviously the administrative word, but I keep wondering about why languages seem to need the two. 

As for the link with 'dynasty', we do not use the formal term, only the general word 'house'. But would it be justified, Apmoy, to suggest that /oikos/ is the oldest term?


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## apmoy70

ThomasK said:


> The main distinction to me is between (a) and (b). (c) is obviously the administrative word, but I keep wondering about why languages seem to need the two.
> 
> As for the link with 'dynasty', we do not use the formal term, only the general word 'house'. But would it be justified, Apmoy, to suggest that /oikos/ is the oldest term?


Indeed it's the Classical and oldest term, the one used to form compounds such as economy, econometrics, ecology etc


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## francisgranada

Hungarian:

_ház_ - house
_lak_ - approx. "living place" (rarely used in the common speech, present also in toponyms)
_lakás_ -flat, dwelling
_lakni_ (verb) - to dwell, habitar

(Both _ház_ and _lak_ are of Finno-Ugric origin)


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## ger4

Latvian distinguishes between three main terms: *māja*, *nams* (~ German: *Haus*, more rarely: *Heim*), and *dzīvoklis *(~ German: *Wohnung*)

The first one, *māja*, has a very general meaning and can also be translated as 'home' in some contexts:
- _koka māja - Holzhaus -_ 'wooden house'
- _vasara māja - Sommerhaus -_ 'summer cottage'
- _viss mājai un dārzam - alles für Haus/Heim und Garten -_ 'everything for house/home and garden'
- _uz mājas__ -_ _nach Hause_ (Southern Germany: _heim_) - '(towards) home'  
- _mājās - zu Hause _(Southern Germany:_ daheim_) - 'at home' 
- _mājaslapa - Homepage _(_surprise, surprise _;-))_ -_ 'homepage' (lapa - 'leaf'; also 'page')
- _mājīgs_ ~ _gemütlich_ ~ 'cosy', 'comfy' 
- _mājlops - Haustier -_ 'domestic animal'
- _mājvieta ~ Unterkunft ~_ 'shelter, home, abode, accommodation' (vieta - 'place, spot, location, ...')
- _mājot__ ~ hausen ~ _ 'to live in poor conditions'   

The second one, *nams*, has a more concrete meaning (though there is a seperate word for 'building': *ēka*):
- _dzīvojamais nams - Wohnhaus -_ 'residential house'   
- _namdaris - Zimmermann, Bauarbeiter -_ 'carpenter', 'builder'  
- _namdurvis - Haustür -_ 'front door' 
- _Baltais nams - das Weiße Haus -_ 'the White House'

The third one, *dzīvoklis*, is derived from *dzīvot*, 'to live' ('habiter', 'demeurer'; also 'vivre') and can be translated as 'apartment' (AE) or 'flat' (BE):
- _īres dzīvoklis - Mietwohnung -_ 'rented apartment' (īre - 'rent ', compare Dutch 'huur') 
- _dzīvokļa pabalsts - Wohngeld -_ 'housing benefit' 
- _2-istabu-dzīvoklis - Zweizimmerwohnung -_ 'one-bedroom flat/apartment'


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## ThomasK

I seem to recognize a pattern: the "very material" house as opposed to the "dwelling-place", from a functional viewpoint - plus the very formal, administrative term... 

If still possible: can you have "to house" too? We have "huizen", but it does not sound very positive sometimes. It is like living, but often without that warm feeling...


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## ger4

ThomasK said:


> [...] If still possible: can you have "to house" too? We have "huizen", but it does not sound very positive sometimes. It is like living, but often without that warm feeling...


I shouldn't have translated the Latvian verb _mājot_ into English as 'to house'; after all, 'to house' means something like 'to accommodate' and is used as a transitive verb, I think. Latvian _mājot_ and German _hausen_ expresses something like 'to live in poor conditions'*. I'll edit my last post, trying to add the German equivalents to the list. 

* Does _huizen_ have a similar (rather negative) meaning?


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## allefm

Holger2014 said:


> I think. Latvian _mājot_ and German _hausen_ express something like 'to live in poor conditions'


 There is no negative meaning in _mājot.

Nabags mājo būdiņā, bet ķēniņš pilī. 

_Check in_ http://www.tezaurs.lv/llvv/_


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## allefm

Holger2014 said:


> - _uz mājas -_ _nach Hause_ (Southern Germany: _heim_) - '(towards) home'  on the top of the house
> - _mājās - zu Hause _(Southern Germany:_ daheim_) - 'at home'



Iet mājās - to go home.

There is difference between *māja* (plural *mājas*) that means house, building
And *mājas* (plural only) - home, place, where somebody lives.


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## francisgranada

ThomasK said:


> ... If still possible: can you have "to house" too? We have "huizen", but it does not sound very positive sometimes. It is like living, but often without that warm feeling...


I think in case of verbs derived  directly from nouns, in general we cannot automatically predict their meaning. Two examples with _house_:

Hungarin _ház_:
_házalni _- to sell things/goods going from house to house 
(perhaps _to peddle_, but I'm not very familiar with the meaning of this word)

Spanish _casa_: 
_casar _- to marry


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## ger4

allefm said:


> There is no negative meaning in _mājot.
> 
> Nabags mājo būdiņā, bet ķēniņš pilī.
> 
> _Check in_ http://www.tezaurs.lv/llvv/_





allefm said:


> Iet mājās - to go home.
> 
> There is difference between *māja* (plural *mājas*) that means house, building
> And *mājas* (plural only) - home, place, where somebody lives.


Paldies!  

Then again, in _viss mājai un dārzam _I think you could translate even the singular form of _māja _as 'home' - at least in the UK, 'home' seems to be used much more frequently  than the German 'equivalent' _Heim_. I remember reading an advertisement for 'Executive Homes' - a literal translation into German would sound rather odd...


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## Hulalessar

A dwelling is a building or other structure constructed or adapted for people to live in and may include the outbuildings and grounds used with the living accommodation. A house is a specific kind of dwelling and does not include flats, houseboats or mobile homes. A residence, though it can also be used to mean dwelling, tends to mean the place where a particular person lives. If John owns two houses and lives in one and lets the other to William who lives in it, the house John lives in is John's residence and the house William lives in is William's residence.


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## ThomasK

Interesting 'specification' (but I suppose that is not the perfect word...), thanks!

Francis's note on the verb 'to house' is useful too. But I love discovering how one word elicits different associations, such as the link between house and marriage or selling...


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## apmoy70

ThomasK said:


> I seem to recognize a pattern: the "very material" house as opposed to the "dwelling-place", from a functional viewpoint - plus the very formal, administrative term...
> 
> If still possible: can you have "to house" too?


We do in Greek, *«κατοικώ»* [katiˈko] --> _to dwell in a house, inhabit_ < Koine verb *«κατοικέω/κατοικῶ» kătoikéō* (uncontracted)/*kătoikõ* (contracted) --> _to inhabit, live, reside, be located_ < Classical fem. noun *«κατοικίᾱ» kătoikíā* (for its etymology refer to my previous post). Its neutral.



ThomasK said:


> We have "huizen", but it does not sound very positive sometimes. It is like living, but often without that warm feeling...


That would be *«σπιτώνω»* [spiˈtono] (from *«σπίτι»* see post #4); when a person asks a second person with which s/he is romantically involved, to move in together, some people use this transitive verb; its connotations are usually negative.


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## aruniyan

Tamil

Kudi - Kudisai - Here ku or c+u is gaining+inside(proto meanings),  a space/shape that gains inside like Hut and search for words that starts with Cu, hu, co etc.. it would be more clear.   Sanskrit kudumbam(family) are derived words.

manai - House or land (settlement), here _man_=retaining, settled in place instead of nomad, like that of the mind and memory that stores.


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## allefm

Holger2014 said:


> Then again, in _viss mājai un dārzam _I think you could translate even the singular form of _māja _as 'home'.



You are right! 

We can add yet another stem to our collection.
_miteklis, mītne _— abode, dwelling, home, lodging, quarter, residence, tenement
       (_mītnes zeme_ — country of residence; _jauniešu mītne_ — hostel)
_mist, mitināties _— to abide, to dwell, to live, to reside, to stay 


And about _dzīvot _and _dzīvoklis_ ... let's repeat together: «_Dzīvē dzīvo dzīvu dzīvi! Dzīvam dzīvē dzīva dzīve._»


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## ThomasK

Surprising, so it seems to me, that one language has that many words to refer to a house, or a dwelling place...


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## ger4

The Latvian language is full of surprises; for me as a learner - definitely... Trying to explain the difference between _dzīvoklis_, _mītne_ and _miteklis_ is tricky but now that there are some native Latvians on this forum they can put it right later :-] _Dzīvoklis_ seems to be the closest equivalent to 'flat' (BE) or 'apartment' (AE), i.e. (something like) one of several units within a building designated for a place to live/reside. A _dzīvoklis_ consists of several _telpas_, rooms (how about a 'one-bedroom flat', though?...) 
_Miteklis_ and _mītne_ are more general terms:


allefm said:


> _miteklis, mītne _— abode, dwelling, home, lodging, quarter, residence, tenement
> (_mītnes zeme_ — country of residence; _jauniešu mītne_ — hostel)
> _mist, mitināties _— to abide, to dwell, to live, to reside, to stay


I think in English (at least in the UK) people often use 'place' as a similar (generic) term for a place where you live - be it a house, a flat/apartment, a room, ...


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## Zsanna

ThomasK said:


> ...But I love discovering how one word elicits different associations, such as the link between house and marriage or selling...


It is usually very interesting, the trouble is that in most cases one can just guess. (You'll have a native's hunch, OK, but it may be mistaken.)

Nevertheless, as far as the verbs are concerned coming from the original nouns in Hungarian:
1) ház n. (*house*) is at the same time a very tangible object that can be used figuratively, however, when you make a verb from it, it is the "physical object" meaning that serves as a base: 
- házal (going from house to house to sell something or find out something - *door to door selling or inquiry* - in a verb form)
- házasodik (more or less = "becomes a house owner" - the origins could be that in the old times getting married meant to have a house for yourself but it simply means *to marry* today)
- háziasít ("makes somebody/something fit to stay in a house" in order words: to *domesticate*)

2) lakhely (= *domicile* in French, *Wohnung* in German) is lak (a root word and in that sense: a place where somebody lives/stays on a permanent basis) + hely (= _place_) -
- lakik (= to *live*, dwell, stay somewhere)
- lakozik (= to exist, stay somewhere but used in literature and mainly figuratively e.g. "In his heart a lot of goodness lived.")

However, in most of these examples the "spicy bit" lies mainly in the suffixes and they are fairly difficult to explain at times.

E.g. in "házal", there is this "al" suffix which is probably similar or the same as the suffix in lábal (*leg* + ?= to take a long way until one gets somewhere, use one's legs a lot until a result is achieved) and kezel (hand + ? = "uses one's hands to do something" = to handle something - physically or figuratively), so in these al/el suffixes what seems to be in common is a _prolonged action_ involving the basic word (although not so elongated in "kezel" - but not because of the "e", that's just connected to the vocal harmony involved). 
But that is specific for agglutinative languages where the meaning of suffixes are often difficult to define. You may have a "feeling" about their "...ness" (what lies behind, as a vague sort of a meaning) but that's it.


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## mataripis

Tagalog word for house is "Bahay" and dwelling is "Tahanan".In stable life, Bahay and Tahanan are One but in Nomadic life , Tahanan alone will describe where someone stay.In Modern life you may have the house but you rent somewhere near your work and that is your temporary dwelling place.


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## ThomasK

Interesting angle, but how come you refer to nomadic life? Does 'tahanan' have some root referring to staying? (Has there been a nomadic tradition in the Philippines?)


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## bibax

Czech:

*dům* = house, a construction with all standard parts like roof, walls, windows, doors, heating system, etc.;

*obydlí, příbytek* (< býti = to be, bydleti = to live/dwell) = dwelling, abode - formal and general meaning;

*přístřešek* (< střecha = roof) = a simple construction with a roof that is the main part;

*byt* (< býti = to be) = flat;

*stan* (< státi = to stand, L. stare) = 1. tent 2. HQ (e.g. Vůdcův hlavní stan = Führerhauptquartier);


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