# Flessen/hals, bottle/neck



## ThomasK

What do you call that phenomenon in your language (the figurative meaning especially)? 

And do you have different words for _*neck* -_ as indeed it is funny in this connection that we refer to *the front side (hals,* not _nek_), whereas the English does not. However, I suppose English only knows _neck_ and *throat (keel* in Dutch), but nothing like _hals_, the front side; _throat/ Keel_ refers to the inside, I think.


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## sakvaka

*Finnish*. _pullon/kaula_

As in Dutch, _kaula_ is the frontside, _niska_ is the backside and _kurkku_ (which also happens to mean 'cucumber' ) is the inside.


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## Outsider

If you're referring to the concept of population bottleneck in biology, it looks like the term in Portuguese is _efeito de gargalo_, roughly "neck effect". _Gargalo_ means neck, but it's used mostly with respect to bottles.


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## ilocas2

I personally don't know anything about this phenomenon, on the Czech wikipedia it's called:

1. Efekt hrdla lahve - Effect of throat of bottle
2. Efekt zakladatele - Effect of founder
3. Bottleneck efekt


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## ThomasK

Thanks, all of you. The bottleneck effect may simply refer to a narrow tunnel unable to cope with the huge traffic (arriving in several lanes and being forced to get into one tunnel lane, so trying to get into it at the same time. 

I'd be interested in hearing the different names of the neck (front, back, inside) in your languages as well, if you don't mind. For example: do you have other plain words for neck (front and back), and for the throat (inside)? 

I was quite itnerested to notice that the Czech call it the throat - and indeed; the throat is part of our _hals_ (front side of the neck).


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## Outsider

ThomasK said:


> I'd be interested in hearing the different names of the neck (front, back, inside) in your languages as well, if you don't mind. For example: do you have other plain words for neck (front and back), and for the throat (inside)?


Well, in Portuguese there is:

_pescoço_: the ordinary word for "neck" (all of it)
_nuca_: the back of the neck
_garganta_: throat​There are other words used in more specific cases. For instance, "goela" means throat, but it's mostly applied to animals.


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## ilocas2

I think that in Czech the term "efekt hrdla lahve" is used only in biology, I have found only 1 result on Google where it was used in other context.

*krk* - the whole neck (all of it), also the front side
*šíje* - nape, the back part
*hrdlo* - throat, the inside part
*chřtán* - throat, used mostly for animals and monsters etc., used also in figurative sense
*zátylek* - part between nape and head

Words "šíje" and "hrdlo" are not much used in colloquial Czech, everything is usually called just "krk"


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## ThomasK

Great information! Thanks, everyone. I do wonder when you 'need' the *zátylek.* Do you refer to certain acts in particular using that word ?


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## ilocas2

It's used in many contexts, no particular using. It's the lower part of back side of head. It's used in colloquial Czech more than "šíje" and "hrdlo", which are used very seldom, but also not too often.


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## ThomasK

I have just found 
- "*goulet/goulot d'étranglement"* for French., ´
- cuello de botella in Spanish (also _goletto_, etc.), 
- *Flaschenhals* or *Engpass* (narrow´passing), even *'Nadelöhr'(needle ear ?)*
*- flaskhals* in Swedish


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## Tjahzi

*Swedish* makes a distinction that, both in terms of vocabulary and semantics, is very similar to that of Dutch.

_Nacke _- nape, back side of the neck.
_Hals_ - I always interpreted this as corresponding to English _neck_, but it seems that it's officially just the front side.
_Strupe_ - occasionally used to refer to the front side of the neck, but it's normal meaning is _trachea+esophagus_.

_Flaskhals _does indeed mean _bottleneck_.


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## apmoy70

In Greek we call the "bottleneck effect" as «συμφόρηση» (sim'forisi _f._); Classical «συμφόρησις» (sŭm'pʰŏ'rĕsīs _f._), with initial meaning _bringing together_, now, _congestion_, from the ancient verb «συμφορέω/συμφορῶ» (sŭmpʰŏ'rĕō [uncontracted]/sŭmpʰŏ'rō [contracted])-->_to bring together, collect, heap up_. Compound formed with the joining together of the prefix and preposition «σύν» (sūn)-->_with, together with_ + verb «φορέω/φορῶ» (pʰŏ'rĕō [uncontracted]/pʰŏ'rō [contracted])-->_to possess, hold, bear, wear_. PIE base *bher-, _to bring, carry_.



			
				ThomasK said:
			
		

> I'd be interested in hearing the different names of the neck (front, back, inside) in your languages as well, if you don't mind. For example: do you have other plain words for neck (front and back), and for the throat (inside)?



*Neck*: «Λαιμός» (le'mos _m._); ancient masculine noun «λαιμός» (lǣ'mŏs) with the same meaning, with obscure etymology (some philologists see a relation with the archaic & poetic neuter noun «λαῖτμα» ('lǣtmă)-->_depth_).
*Front of neck*: «Τράχηλος» ('traçilos _m._); ancient masculine noun «τράχηλος» ('trăxēlŏs)-->_the whole neck and throat, parts resembling the neck_, PIE base *dʰregʰ-, _to run_.
*Nape of neck*: Formally, «αυχένας» (af'çenas _m._); Classical masculine noun «αὐχήν» (au'xēn)-->_neck, throat_, with obscure etymology. Colloquially, «σβέρκος» ('zverkos _m._); loanword from Albanian, _zverk_-->_nape of the neck_.
*Throat*: «Λάρυγγας» ('lariŋgas _m._); ancient masculine noun «λάρυγξ» ('lārūŋks)-->_upper part of the windpipe_, with obscure etymology (some philologists see a relation with the Latin _lurco_-->_gormandizer_). Colloquially, «λαρύγγι» (la'riɲɟi _n._) from the diminutive of «λάρυγξ», «λαρύγγιον» (la'riɲɟion _n._). Often we use «λαιμός» (le'mos _m._) to describe the inner throat also.

[ç] is a voiceless palatal fricative
[x] is a voiceless velar fricative, known as the hard ch
[ŋ] is a velar nasal 
[ɲ] is a palatal nasal
[ɟ] is a voiced palatal plosive


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## jazyk

> Well, in Portuguese there is:
> _pescoço_: the ordinary word for "neck" (all of it)
> *nuca: the back of the neck*
> _garganta_: throat


Even though it is not a word everybody knows, there is also nuque in English.


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## ThomasK

Tjahzi said:


> _Strupe_ - occasionally used to refer to the front side of the neck, but it's normal meaning is _trachea+esophagus_.


 
Just thinking of that: there is an old word for keel/ throat that your Swedish reminds me of: strot (iemand duwde mij dat door de strot : someone pushed [me] something down my [the] throat). English does not seem to like the s very much (whip/ _zweep_, melt/ _smelten_).


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## ThomasK

apmoy70 said:


> *Neck*: «Λαιμός» (le'mos _m._); ancient masculine noun «λαιμός» (lǣ'mŏs) with the same meaning, with obscure etymology (some philologists see a relation with the archaic & poetic neuter noun «λαῖτμα» ('lǣtmă)-->_depth_).
> *Front of neck*: «Τράχηλος» ('traçilos _m._); ancient masculine noun «τράχηλος» ('trăxēlŏs)-->_the whole neck and throat, parts resembling the neck_, PIE base *dʰregʰ-, _to run_.
> *Nape of neck*: Formally, «αυχένας» (af'çenas _m._); Classical masculine noun «αὐχήν» (au'xēn)-->_neck, throat_, with obscure etymology. Colloquially, «σβέρκος» ('zverkos _m._); loanword from Albanian, _zverk_-->_nape of the neck_.
> *Throat*: «Λάρυγγας» ('lariŋgas _m._); ancient masculine noun «λάρυγξ» ('lārūŋks)-->_upper part of the windpipe_, with obscure etymology (some philologists see a relation with the Latin _lurco_-->_gormandizer_). Colloquially, «λαρύγγι» (la'riɲɟi _n._) from the diminutive of «λάρυγξ», «λαρύγγιον» (la'riɲɟion _n._). Often we use «λαιμός» (le'mos _m._) to describe the inner throat also.


 
I see a lot (two or three) appear in medical terms: _laryngitis, trachilitis_. Any others, Apmoy? 

σβέρκος reminded me of a calf's thymus, which is among the meat delicatessen and is called *"zwezerik'* in Dutch, but this seems improbable. The etymology in Dutch seems to be unknown too...


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## Tamar

In Hebrew bottleneck is the same, צוואר בקבוק [tsvar bakbuk] =  neck +  bottle

צוואר [tsavar] is the front side of the neck.

עורף [oref] is the back side of the neck.

Sometimes we use צוואר to mean the neck as a whole - both front and back, and I've just noticed that we can even use *צוואר *although we mean *עורף*: 
נתפס לי הצוואר [nitfas li ha-tsavar] 
This means you pulled a neck muscle - in the back side of it, yet we use צוואר.

To inside is called גרון [garon], throat. 

We also have ושט [veshet], esophagus, but that is medical.


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## ThomasK

So in both cases (Dutch and Hebrew) the front side word can refer to the whole, it seems. I wonder if that is the case in any of the other languages...


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## apmoy70

ThomasK said:


> I see a lot (two or three) appear in medical terms: _laryngitis, trachilitis_. Any others, Apmoy?



«Φαρυγγίτις» (fariɲ'ɟitis _f._) from «φάρυγξ» ('pʰărūnks _m._), «φάρυγγας» ('fariŋgas _m._ in modern pronunciation and form)-->_windpipe, throat_, PIE base *bʰer-(3), _to dig, cut_, cognate with Lat. fōrmāre.
«Οισοφαγίτις» (isofa'ʝitis _f._) from «οἰσοφάγος» (œsŏ'pʰāgŏs _m._), «οισοφάγος» (iso'faɣos _m._ in modern pronunciation and form)-->_gullet_; compound formed with the joining of the verb «οἴσω» ('œsō)-->1st person sing. future indicative of verb «φέρω» ('pʰĕrō)-->_to bring_ + masculine noun «φάγος» ('pʰāgŏs)-->_glutton_, PIE base *bʰag-, _to apportion, allot (mainly food)_.


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## OneStroke

Putonghua: 瓶頸 pingjing
Cantonese: 樽頸 (often erroneously used in writing as well)

樽 is the most common word for bottle in Cantonese and 瓶 is the most common word for bottle in Putonghua. However, 頸 is not used to refer to the neck in Putonghua (but it is in Cantonese) unless followed by 部, although it is one of the words used in Classical Chinese.


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## PaulQ

ThomasK said:


> I suppose English only knows _neck_ and *throat *, but nothing like _hals_, the front side; _throat/ Keel_ refers to the inside, I think.


As you see there is also *nape*, which is the rear of the neck between the shoulders and skull.

The *throat *is also used for the front of the neck, "A necklace of pearls hung below her *throat*."

to grab/hold/grasp someone around/by the *throat* = to put hands around their *neck *as if to strangle them.

Internally, there is the *gullet*, this is the opening from the mouth to the point at which the pipe divides before the epiglottis.


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## rusita preciosa

In Russian the translation of the technical term *bottleneck* is *узкое место* /uzkoye mesto/ - lit. narrow place.

When talking about anatomy, we have two terms (like in English):
горло /gorlo/ - throat (both the inside and the front part of the neck)
шея /sheya/ - neck

A neck of a bottle is горлышко /gorlyshko/ - little throat


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## DearPrudence

I'm not sure I understand what you want but:

*neck: *front and back as well I think:* le cou
nape: *back: *la nuque
throat: *inside:* la gorge*

*neck of a bottle: le goulot*
Figurative: *goulot d'étranglement / goulet d'étranglement*


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## Anja.Ann

Hi  

In Italian: 

- neck: collo (a woman with a long neck, the neck of the bottle, the neck of a swan ...)
- bottleneck (figurative): collo di bottiglia (normally used to describe an obstacle or a difficult situation)

- nape: nuca (anatomical part)
- throat: gola (anatomical part, but also "gorge", "ravine")


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## ancalimon

Türkish:  darboğaz

Dar: narrow
Boğaz: neck, throat, Bosphorus

Maybe boğaz itself is related to Turkish "boğ" meaning to "suffocate", "drown", "choke", "overwhelm", "asphyxiate"
and also maybe boğaz itself is related to Turkish "boğuş" meaning "graple", "struggle", "wrestle", "be at each others throat"


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## ThomasK

Could you explain 'Bosphorus', A? Is it just the name of the place, some kind of bottle-neck indeed?


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## ancalimon

ThomasK said:


> Could you explain 'Bosphorus', A? Is it just the name of the place, some kind of bottle-neck indeed?




"Boğaz" is the name of any passage (river?) connecting two seas together. For example what we call "Istanbul Boğazı", other people call "The Bosphorus".


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## Maroseika

ThomasK said:


> Could you explain 'Bosphorus', A? Is it just the name of the place, some kind of bottle-neck indeed?


It is from Ancient Greek meaning "cattle ford". Afterwards it meant any narrow strait, such as, e.g. Bosporus Cimmerian (Kerch straight between the Black and Azov seas).


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## apmoy70

Maroseika said:


> It is from Ancient Greek meaning "cattle ford". Afterwards it meant any narrow strait, such as, e.g. Bosporus Cimmerian (Kerch straight between the Black and Azov seas).



That's an ancient Greek myth actually; the name «Βόσπορος» ('Bŏspŏrŏs, /'vosporos/ in Byzantine and Modern Greek) is a compound, Thraco-Greek word with unknown meaning: Thracian *boos-, (with obscure meaning and etymology) + Greek masculine noun «πόρος» ('pŏrŏs)--> _narrow part of the sea, strait, ford_ (PIE base *por- _going, passage_). Later, the Greeks came up with the myth of Io in order to explain the name by playing with the homonyms *boos- and «βόος/βοῦς» ('bŏŏs [uncontracted]/bous [contracted])--> _cattle, ox_ (according to the myth, Io was transformed into a heifer by Zeus in order to save her from Hera's -his wife- jealousy; she then crossed Propontis into the Black Sea, through the strait of Bosphopus/ox passage).


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## ThomasK

How interesting, thanks !


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## ancalimon

ThomasK said:


> How interesting, thanks !



We don't use the Greek name though. We simple use the first part of the word Bosphorus which is "boğaz" (ğ is silent. When it comes between letters, it melds them together) meaning "neck" which is related to "bağ" meaning "connection", "tie", "nexus".. It also seems to be related with Turkic "boğa" meaning "bull" and "boynuz" meaning "horns" and "boyun" meaning "neck" and "boy" meaning "height" but that's another story.


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