# tax



## ThomasK

What is your word for the amount of money you pay a year to the state as a contribution to the community? And especially: do you have a metaphor in it ? 

Dutch - *'belastingen'*, containing the word 'last', _charge_ (Lat. onus, I believe), something heavy to carry 

Eng - *'taxes'*, I guess, which originally referred to estimating, so I gather from etymonline.com. 

French *- 'Impots'*: what one imposes, I believe... 

German - *'Steuern'*, which refers to conducting, so I guess, directing, and then sentencing (if that is a correct interpretation of the summary explanation in an old book)

So: how about your language ?

_(I will be trying to summarize findings after some time, further up, in a later contribution)_


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## Orlin

Bulgarian: данъци.


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## ThomasK

Thanks, but could you give us some comment on the meaning of the word? Can it be used in broader senses? Could it be some kind of metaphor? (And could you write it in Roman (?) alphabet (_dan'tsi _?) . 

I could have mentioned: een 'belasting' (sg.) is a 'mental' charge as well...


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## Orlin

I think that this word can sometimes be used figuratively or in broader senses but it isn't common (I can't think of an example probably because I deal with taxes professionally). The word can be defined as "a compulsory gratuitous payment in favour of the state or the municipalities". The etymology is probably from the common Slavic verbs дам/ давам (dam/ davam - perf. /imperf. aspect resp.)=to give, but I'm not sure about this.
The transliteration you gave is generally correct, the ъ is pronounced like the English schwa sound, the stress is on the 1st syllable. The singular is данък.


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## evrix

Italian: tassa (that comes from latin tasca whose meaning nowadays is pocket) or imposta (that comes from latin, too)
There is a technical difference between the two (probably the first depend on someone's income while the second is fixed). Imposta also means shutter


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## apmoy70

ThomasK said:


> What is your word for the amount of money you pay a year to the state as a contribution to the community?


In Greek it's «φόρος» ('foros, _m._) from the ancient «φόρος» ('pʰŏrŏs, _m._)-->_tribute, forced levy_.


ThomasK said:


> And especially: do you have a metaphor in it ?


All that comes in mind is «η λυπητερή» (i lipite'ri, _feminine adjective that became noun_); it derives from the ancient feminine noun «λύπη» ('lūpē. _f._-->initially _the pain of body_, later _the __sad plight or condition, the grief_; 'lipi, _f._-->_sorrow, grief_, in modern Greek). Η λυπητερή is  _that which causes sorrow_, _troublesome._


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## ThomasK

Thanks, everyone, interesting !

@ apmoy: I meant the metaphor in the word for 'taxes'. But I guess it is ferein, or something the like, carry (as in metaforos, which, I believe, means transport in Greek). So: something like a contribution, which you 'carry' to someone ??? Is there a link between sorrow and taxes ? (Yes !)


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## apmoy70

ThomasK said:


> Thanks, everyone, interesting !
> @ apmoy: I meant the metaphor in the word for 'taxes'. But I guess it is ferein, or something the like, carry (as in metaforos, which, I believe, means transport in Greek). So: something like a contribution, which you 'carry' to someone ???


Ah, I apologise I misunderstood. Yes _φόρος_ is from _φέρω_ (to bear or carry a load)





ThomasK said:


> Is there a link between sorrow and taxes ? (Yes !)


Of course!


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## rusita preciosa

In Russian it is *налог* /nalog/ (“g” as in “god”).
The prefix *на-* has the meaning of “on / on top”.
The root *–лог-/-лож-* has the meaning of “put / place / pose”.  
 
So, literally it would be something like “a put-on”. I can’t think of any other meaning.


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## ThomasK

Thanks, Apmoy and Rusita. 

As for Russian, Rusita, don't you think this is quite the same as 'impose'. The latter and Russian could it be a metaphorical way of expressing obligation, I just thought (btw: _ob_- is always negative).


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## bibax

Czech:

*daň* (ň is palatal consonant, pronounced like Romance -gn-)

derived from the verb dáti (to give), Lat. cognate is donum (gift)

(gift is dar in Czech, ~ Gr. doron)

I think that the word daň is Panslavic, althought not in use in all Slavic languages for tax.

Obsolete term *berně* (~ Gr. foros) - derived from bráti (to take, originally to carry), beru (~ fero).

Historically there was also *desátek* (= tenth part, one tenth).


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## jazyk

> Italian: tassa (that comes from latin tasca whose meaning nowadays is pocket) or imposta (that comes from latin, too)
> There is a technical difference between the two (probably the first depend on someone's income while the second is fixed).


In Portuguese _taxa _and _imposto_.


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## apmoy70

bibax said:


> Historically there was also *desátek* (= tenth part, one tenth).


That's interesting because in Byzantine times, taxes were known as «δεκάτη» (ðe'kati, _feminine singular_, lit. "the tenth"); each & everyone of the Emperor's subjects had to to contribute 1/10 of the annual income to the Empire.


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## rusita preciosa

ThomasK said:


> As for Russian, Rusita, don't you think this is quite the same as 'impose'.


 
I thought the same, in the case of Russian it would be something like "on-pose".



bibax said:


> Czech:
> 
> *daň* (ň is palatal consonant, pronounced like Romance -gn-)
> 
> derived from the verb dáti (to give), Lat. cognate is donum (gift)
> 
> (gift is dar in Czech, ~ Gr. doron)
> 
> I think that the word daň is Panslavic, althought not in use in all Slavic languages for tax.
> 
> Obsolete term *berně* (~ Gr. foros) - derived from bráti (to take, originally to carry), beru (~ fero).
> 
> Historically there was also *desátek* (= tenth part, one tenth).


In old Russian taxes were also called *дань */dan’/ (n’ pronounced like Spanish ñ), related to the word “give”.
Also, like in Czech and Greek, a type of tax was called *десятина* /desyatina/, meaning “one-tenth”.

P.S. In Russian there is a word *такса* /taksa/ that came from Latin through Polish, but it means “fee" rather than “tax”.


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## ThomasK

@ bibax: CZ _*berne*_, GR _*foros*_, yes, nice link. 

@ rusita: *Fee/ tax*: I guess that is a semantic shift as both seem linked (transfer of money), don't they. Interesting... 

I suddenly think of the Dutch *bijdrage*, (to-bear/ carry, contribute to),n contribution, but of course this looks like a voluntary contribution, though it need not always be one ; It can be used to mean 'fee'.


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## bibax

The terms desátek, δεκάτη, etc. (= 1/10) are really obsolete as we, EUnians, pay about 1/2 to the state.


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## Encolpius

The Hungarian word is *adó, *from the verb *ad (to give)* and suffix -ó (something like -ing). In the Middle Ages the word *dézsma *was also used, it came from and Italian dialect dèsima, and Latin *decimus*.


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## ThomasK

We in Dutch never associate 'taxes' with giving, only with bearing... ;-)


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## Equinozio

In Tagalog, it's *buwis*, which means tax(es), tariff, tribute or any forced payment.

I'm not sure about the etymology of the word but it seems related to *buwisit*, which means a nuisance, pest or pain in the neck or, when used as an adjective, annoying, unlucky or bringing bad luck.


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## ThomasK

This is quite interesting of course, but are you quite sure that this is the original name? At first, so I suspect, names are/were fairly descriptive, but then they might turn more 'emotional'. I mean: none of the above is so judgmental. But maybe I am wrong, just guessing...


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## Equinozio

ThomasK said:


> This is quite interesting of course, but are you quite sure that this is the original name? At first, so I suspect, names are/were fairly descriptive, but then they might turn more 'emotional'. I mean: none of the above is so judgmental. But maybe I am wrong, just guessing...


Yes, it's the original name.

I'm not sure if either word derives from the other, or if the two words are descended from a common word.


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## ThomasK

Are there any synonyms or other words for fees, contributions, that refer to something the like by any chance ? (Thanks)


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## Wilma_Sweden

Swedish and Norwegian:
skatt
Danish:
skat
Icelandic:
skattur

The original Old Norse word meant treasure/money/tribute, and has been in use for taxes pretty much since the concept was invented in our parts. 
There is an obsolete related word in English - scat -  used to refer to taxes, particularly in the north of England/Scotland, wherever the Danes turned up, adopted from the Danes of course.

I can't see anything metaphoric about the word itself, but we have a few compounds with a metaphoric sense, such as {stort} skattetryck, {tung} skattebörda ({great} taxation pressure, {heavy} tax burden) as well as the opposite: skattelättnad (tax relief), which most people certainly see as lightening a heavy load.  The most common adjectives used are those in {} brackets.


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## Hakro

In *Finnish*: _vero_, pl. _verot_, verb _verottaa_

_Vero_ and it's derivatives are often used in a metaphoric meaning, for example _verottaa =_ "to take away" or _maksaa veronsa_ = "to pay one's tax / share". For example, our soldiers "paid their tax for our freedom" or "my age takes it's tax" (my performance isn't like it used to be). Also _kalakannan verotus_, "taxation of the fish stock" means usually excessive fishing, and so on.


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## ThomasK

@ H : thanks. But that means that _vero_ in itself has no particular meaning, does it, or is not a metaphor as such, is it? What I find strange is that we in the Low Countries, speakers of Dutch, would *never say that we 'paid our tax(es) for someone's freedom'*. I mean: 'belasting' (containing _*last*_, burden) does not seem inspirational to us. ;-) Could it not be that _vero_ is more general, like _contribution_ (in Dutch: _*bijdrage*_, lit. 'towards-carry', 'adduce' maybe). We are willing to (pay) _bijdragen_, but not _belastingen_. You see the difference in connotation? I must admit your examples seem to point out two different 'connotations' (both neg. and pos.), or is none of them pos. to you ? (Sorry for being so long)

@W : great addition. It reminds me of the fact that _*schat*_ in Dutch can mean _treasure,_ whereas _*schatten*_ (verb) means _*estimate*_. It seems to refer back to *money* (etymologically) and what I remember thanks to this addition is that we have another word for _belasting_, which is *'schatting'*. Probably because any (fair) tax is based on an estimation of earnings, profit, etc. By the way, _*schatje*_, 'little treasure', is fairly common here as a pet name, an affective name for the partner - and so does not remind us of taxes at all. 

_Just fascinating how words with the same root can have so different meanings and/or connotations !_


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## Wilma_Sweden

ThomasK said:


> @W : great addition. It reminds me of the fact that _*schat*_ in Dutch can mean _treasure,_ whereas _*schatten*_ (verb) means _*estimate*_. It seems to refer back to *money* (etymologically) and what I remember thanks to this addition is that we have another word for _belasting_, which is *'schatting'*. Probably because any (fair) tax is based on an estimation of earnings, profit, etc. By the way, _*schatje*_, 'little treasure', is fairly common here as a pet name, an affective name for the partner - and so does not remind us of taxes at all.
> 
> _Just fascinating how words with the same root can have so different meanings and/or connotations !_


Oh, I forgot to mention that skatt has indeed been a term of endearment in Swedish, too, but that meaning is now obsolete. The other modern Swedish meaning of skatt is treasure, as in a chest full of gems and gold, and that meaning is certainly active today.

The Danes do use skat as a term of endearment, and as far as I'm aware it is common, still in use and by no means obsolete or old-fashioned.


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## Equinozio

@ThomasK
The commonly-used Tagalog words for _fee_ (*bayad, kabayaran*) and _contribution_ (*abuloy, ambag*) aren't used to mean _taxes_. But according to some dictionaries I checked, *buwis* also means _tribute_ and _crop share_, which I suppose, means a farmer-tenant's _contribution_ to a landowner in the form of crops.


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## ThomasK

@W: Quite strange to me that one word can have so different meanings, but I noticed that when discussing _beloved/ expensive_ (about the 'price' of love ;-))).

@E : interesting addition, which refers to the word 'tenth' used in other languages and mentioned before...


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## RaLo18

Hebrew: מס (_mas_, masc.) and מיסים (_misim_, plural).
It appeared in the Bible meaning forced labor and gained its current  meaning only in modern Hebrew (according to my Even Shoshan dictionary).


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## Trauer

Polish: Podatek. The *po-* prefix means _after_ and *datek* means _offering_ (like giving money for a church to prosper )


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## ThomasK

Some kind of conclusion: the main words I seem to recognize are
- to bear (contribution) and a burden
- to give (a tenth, for example)
- crop share
- treasure, money
- imposing and 
- pain
Thanks, everyone !


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