# Slavic languages: Etymology of kurva/kurba vs. curva



## Mishe

Hey, 

today we had a heated debate about the etymology of Slovenian word "kurba" (cognates "kurva" in BCS, but also in Polish and other Slavic languages, meaning "a whore, a prostitute) and its relation to the Italian "curva" meaning "curve". I had a disagreement with a friend who was telling me that "kurba" originates from the Italian word. Somehow it seems logical to him that a word for prostitute would come from "a curvy woman" or something. Intuitively, I think this is utterly false and that the two are unrelated, but I didn't have any evidence to prove my point (and can't find any on Google), so I'm wondering if anyone has any info on this? 

Muchas gracias


----------



## Maroseika

According to Max Vasmer, "kurva" originates from *kurу (hen).
He compares it with French _cocotte _- hen and whore.


----------



## Sobakus

You can come up with an equally ridiculous etymology, for example, that the word _prostitute_ comes from Slovene _prositi_, as in "ask a woman to have sex for money". Or _whore_ from Czech _hora_ ("mountain"), as in "mount a whore". This topic is a godsend for people with good imagination.


----------



## Mishe

Sobakus said:


> You can come up with an equally ridiculous etymology, for example, that the word _prostitute_ comes from Slovene _prositi_, as in "ask a woman to have sex for money". Or _whore_ from Czech _hora_ ("mountain"), as in "mount a whore". This topic is a godsend for people with good imagination.



Yep, it's called folk etymology!


----------



## Tesnogrydo plqmpalo

I don't speak Slovenian language. My native language is Bulgarian. I don't now what is mean kurba (with „b“), but on Bulgarian have a word kurva (курва, with „v“). This word not means prostitute in sense „sex for pay“. Kurva have wide sense „not only for money“. Her is women/girl who make sex with many partners (not only one), but not oblivious „make sex“, can simple she (kurva) be seen whit other people (eventuality married) or often changed her partners. Kurva be reputation of „easy“.  Itself word kurva most probable derive from russian word kur (mean dick). This is confirm of facts that kur and kurva as an obscene and used by injury/stamp.  Version for curve is interesting (first time I seen her) and even been defenced in sense „curved line“, because in Bulgarian (probable and other languages) have a word „krashori“ (кръшори, кръшка), that may be take for kurva, but that is only speculation. Latin is not important and influence over slavic languages (only Romanian but his not recognised for slavic) and we have a funny coincidence.


----------



## Mishe

Kurba has the same meaning as "kurva" in Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Russian, etc. It's also an insult word.


----------



## rusita preciosa

Tesnogrydo plqmpalo said:


> russian word kur (mean dick).


I may have lived a sheltered life, but I do not know such Russian word...


----------



## Tesnogrydo plqmpalo

rusita preciosa said:


> I may have lived a sheltered life, but I do not know such Russian word...


May be in USA not a word кур, but in our smell Europe there is. I be surprised that kurva is widely distributed in time without Internet.


----------



## marco_2

Tesnogrydo plqmpalo said:


> word kurva most probable derive from russian word kur (mean dick).



I also can confirm that in Russian the word "kur" never meant "dick" - it meant "rooster / cock" (Cf. *как кур во щи*) and only "rooster / cock". "Kur", "kurac" meaning "penis" is a Southern Slavic "invention". And here is another source concerning the etymology of "kurva" (in Polish):

http://pl.wiktionary.org/wiki/kurwa


----------



## bibax

In some Czech dialects the diminutive *kurvička* means "little girl", nothing vulgar: Máte hezkou kurvičku (to proud parents). 

The κούρη (Proto-Hellenic *kórw[URL="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendixroto-Hellenic/k%C3%B3rw%C4%81"]ā[/URL]) etymology is quite plausible.


----------



## ilocas2

Skok's etymological dictionary says that proto-Slavic _*kurt,va_ is not etymologically explained with certainty. It can be related with German _Hure_ or with proto-Slavic _kurz_ (rooster/cock) or it can come from Alarodian languages.


----------



## Tesnogrydo plqmpalo

I love linguist. These guys says that is greek, that is latin, in the extreme case proto*. Who ordered always everything will be greek or latin?!? Proto* does not exist. No evidence for proto whatever. Proto* is artificial designed. I have news — besides the Romans and Greeks there are many more nation and they have languages, too.

Even vulgarity want to be derive from classical languages. Cicero's letters not contained such words. 

For information. I first time heard word кур in Moscow. Bulgarian word for that is хуй (huy), nothing near by kur. Today even is wildly distributed and here. Serbian word kurac easy explained whit centuries-old friends relationship, and pure Serbian ending.


----------



## Mishe

Tesnogrydo plqmpalo said:


> These gays says that is greek, that is latin, in the extreme case proto*.



Say what??


----------



## Tesnogrydo plqmpalo

I edited my post.


----------



## Mishe

Well, I must say I never imagined "kurva" had such a complicated and obscure etymology. One thing is certain though: it has nothing to do with curva/curve.


----------



## Lord Pigeon

I know it isn't a Slavic language, but "kurvë" means "whore" in Albanian.



Mishe said:


> Well, I must say I never imagined "kurva" had such a complicated and obscure etymology. One thing is certain though: it has nothing to do with curva/curve.


It hasn't a such complicated and obscure etymology, probably it's from Albanian language. In Albanian, it even means "female dog", and as in Italian it is an insult for women who sell themselves.


----------



## miasam

Sobakus said:


> You can come up with an equally ridiculous etymology, for example, that the word _prostitute_ comes from Slovene _prositi_, as in "ask a woman to have sex for money".


There's actually an Old Slavonic root -pros- (whence prositi - to beg, ask) that means "beg", so it's not impossible that prostitute derives from there if it used to mean "a woman that begs for money (in exchange for sex)". However, the official Latin etymology seems more plausible to me.
Back to the topic - I'd agree with the suggested "hen/rooster/cock..." etymology.


----------



## Ben Jamin

A common origin of Slavic "kurva" and Germanic "Hure" seems very plausible and development from a word meaning simply "girl" or "woman" also sounds convincing. 
Note that for example the Polish word "dziwka" means a promiscous woman, prostitute, but its origin is the same as "dziewka" (wench, maid) and dziewczyna (obsolete dziewczę) which means just "girl".


----------



## danielstan

Romanian has _curvă _= "whore". Etymology: dexonline Old Slavic _kurŭva (_no relation with Latin_ curba)_
Hungarian has _kurva _= "whore".

Seems this word is all over Eastern Europe...


----------

