# All Slavic: Nationalities for things: cherkesska, hamburger, viennoiserie, china, ottoman, danish



## bragpipes

In English (and other languages) we sometimes use names from nationalities, regions and cities for inanimate things.

For example, china - fine porcelain; danish - a pastry, hamburger - a sandwich; (sandwich too, although indirectly, through John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich); ottoman for a footstool and so on.  English also has some that come from other languages, viennoiserie through French for "pastries" and cherkesska from Russian for the Caucasian chokha.    There are some that are less obvious, such as denim (textile) from de Nîmes.  There are a whole bunch of them from textiles: cashmere (indirectly, from the cashmere goat), Buckram (possibly from Bukhara),  and Oxford from Oxford.  Oxford also lends its name to a shoe called "Oxford". 

The kinds of words I'm looking for are ones whose meaning is entirely derived from the nationality.

So hamburger - yes, French fries - no.
Ottoman - yes, Turkish delight - no.
scotch - yes, scotch tape - no.

You get the point.

There are quite a few internationalisms that entered Slavic languages - porto, champagne, etc.
I'm looking for ones that are Slavic in origin.  Cherkesska is a perfect example of that.  Mazurka is another one.  Balaclava is also one.

Thanks in advance.


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## rusita preciosa

Russian (it's a cut and paste from another forum you'll get access to later):

американка /amerikanka/ - a type of billiard
индейка /indeyka/ - turkey (India)
корейка /koreyka/ - a type of bacon (Korea)
болгарка /bolgarka/ - a type of saw (Bulgaria)
финка /finka/ - a fold-out pocket knife
полька /polka/ - polka (dance)
турка /turka/ - a special container to prepare coffee Turkish style
голландка /gollandka/ - a type of fireplace/stove (Holland)
венгерка /venguerka/ – a type of plum; also a rubber band (Hungary)
чешки /tcheshki/ - a type of shoe, similar to ballet shoe (Czech)
вьетнамки /vietnamki/ - flip-flops
панама /panama/ - panama (hat)
китайка /kitayka/ - a type of small apple (China)
шведская семья /shvedskaya semya/ – ménage à trois and more (literally, Swedish family)
швейцар /shveitsar/ - doorman (literally, “Swiss man”)
ангора /angora/ - angora
кашемир /kashemir/ - cashmir
дамаск /damask/ - damask (fabric)
обюссон /obuson/ - Aubusson rug (from the French region of Aubusson)
как Иерихонская труба /kak yerichonskaya truba/ - like the trumpet of Jericho (said when someone is extremely loud)


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## Panceltic

Slovenian:

francoz (a Frenchman) - a kind of tongs


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## Karton Realista

Chińczyk (Chinese man) - chinese soup, food or restaurant.
Hiszpan (Spanish man) - titfuck.
Man of most nationalities - wine from those regions, like: Hiszpan - Spanish wine, Burgund - wine from Burgundia, etc.
Kozaki - moon boots, from Kozacy, name of the identity of a lot of Ukrainians in the past (too complicated to explain right away)
Holenderka (Niderland woman) - niderland cow
Węgierka (Hungarian woman) - plume species
Japonki - flip-flops
Finka - finnish knife
Polka, Mazurek - you know what
Szkocka - Scotch
Murzynek - kind of chocolate cake


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## bibax

japonka (na beton)
španělka
švýcarka
marokánka
vietnamky
kozačky
holandr (Holanďan)
angličák (Angličan)
indiánek
rus, šváb, prusák (Prus), francouz - various species of unpleasant insect, like the soldiers of these nationalities (Napoleonic Wars);
turek - simply prepared coffee (ground coffee + boiling water);
[...]
Mod note: image removed - please explain with words what the term means if you believe it is necessary


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## marco_2

amerykanka (American woman) - armchair extended sofa
amerykany (dial. Americans) - variety of potato
prusaki (Prussian) - German cockroaches _(Blatella germanica)_
moskale, moskaliki (Muscovites) - marinated herrings
francuz (from: klucz francuski) - monkey wrench
mazurek - also a kind of short pastry, baked at Easter; a tree sparrow
kozak (Cossac)- also: a name of some edible mushrooms in the _Boletaceae _family (e.g. birch bolete, scaber stalk etc.);  (slang) a daredevil
szwajcar (Swiss) - a doorman (like in Russian, now probably a bit obsolete)


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## Gavril

Panceltic said:


> Slovenian:
> 
> francoz (a Frenchman) - a kind of tongs



Also, _puran_ "turkey" is from a word meaning "Peruvian". (This is not a Slavic-only convention, though: for example, Portuguese calls the turkey _peru_.)


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## ilocas2

I think that names of people and animals in this thread are off-topic because OP asked for things.

Edit: Oh, I noticed that he explicitly mentions inanimate things in the first post.


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## Gavril

True, the first paragraph does seem to imply that restriction. I wonder, though, if the OP could confirm that he meant to exclude animals from this query?

I ask because 1) he doesn't mention the restriction elsewhere in the post (e.g. in the 4th paragraph, he doesn't include animals as examples of what he doesn't want), and 2) nationalities are not normally assigned to animals or objects in the way they are to humans, and it seems like the same (to some extent) sort of process could lead to an animal or an object being designated with a national name.


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## bragpipes

No, no exclusion on animals, but for the sake of learners who might read this please also mention if it the animal's name is the only name.  Puran does indeed come from Italian "peruano" (Peruvian), but ćuran also exists and that one is onomatopoeic.


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> Kozaki - moon boots, from Kozacy, name of the identity of a lot of Ukrainians in the past (too complicated to explain right away)


What do you call moon boots? Send me a photo to my private account, please.

In Polish many common words:

amerykanka  -   a type of folded sofa
finka    -   a kind of  scout knife
polka    -   a Czech dance
panama  -   a straw hat
szwajcar  -   doorman (obsolete)
angora   -   kind of wool
kaszmir    -   kind of wool fabric
adamaszek  -   kind of luxury fabric


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## Karton Realista

Ben Jamin said:


> What do you call moon boots? Send me a photo to my private account, please.


I googled moon boots now and saw they're not kozaki. 
I don't know how to translate it, I just translated it with the translator.


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## bragpipes

I just googled kozaki and moon boots (haven't heard of either).  Kozaki did not return the same results as moon boots, but "kozaki" are still boots, some kind of cowgirl boots, I'd say.


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## Karton Realista

bragpipes said:


> I just googled kozaki and moon boots (haven't heard of either).  Kozaki did not return the same results as moon boots, but "kozaki" are still boots, some kind of cowgirl boots, I'd say.


They are popular all over Poland, esp. in autumn and winter.


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## bibax

Karton Realista said:


> They are popular all over Poland, esp. in autumn and winter.


It's the same in the Czechlands (or formerly in Czechoslovakia). We call them *kozačky* (lit. female Cossacks, but it's rather due to the fact that the noun bota is feminine: boty kozačky).

The moon boots look like Neil Armstrong's boots.

The cowgirl boots are ornate cowboy boots.

According to the dictionary: kozačky/kozaki = ladies' high boots, however some variants are rather low.
[...]
Mod note: image removed - please explain with words what the term means if you believe it is necessary


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## Karton Realista

bibax said:


> It's the same in the Czechlands (or formerly in Czechoslovakia). We call them *kozačky* (lit. female Cossacks, but it's rather due to the fact that the noun bota is feminine: boty kozačky).


We also can call them kozaczki, but as a softer form derived from kozaki. In Polish "but" is masculine.


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*uher* (Hungarian), *uhrák*, *uhřík* - pimple

[...]

Mod note: image removed - please explain with words what the term means if you believe it is necessary


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> I googled moon boots now and saw they're not kozaki.
> I don't know how to translate it, I just translated it with the translator.


Don't use Google translator if you want to contribute to the forum, please. It only brings confusion.

"Kozaczki" (diminutive, yes) was a model of women's boots introduced to Poland in the 1960-s. These were leather boots reaching to about 3/4 of the lower leg, in appearance reminding of military officer boots, but available in bright colours. They had no zipper.
New models appeared later, with warying length (1/2 of the lower leg or up to the knee, with a zipper, with laces, an so on). Now, I think the name is used for any women's boots longer that up to the ankle.

 "Moon boots" is a type of "after ski" boots, made of thick plastic foam  and covered with plastic fabric or foil.


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*kozáček* - a dance


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## bibax

The word uher is not related to the word Uher.

*uher* < PSl. *ǫgrъ*;

Other Slavic languages: uhor, wągr, угорь, wuhra, huger, ogrc, ...; related to German Engerling < *angar;


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*tatarka* = tatarská omáčka - tartare sauce
*tatarák* = tatarský biftek - steak tartare


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## marco_2

ilocas2 said:


> Czech:
> 
> *tatarka* = tatarská omáčka - tartare sauce
> *tatarák* = tatarský biftek - steak tartare



Polish:

*tatar = *steak tartare as well
*tatarka - *in the south of Poland: tartary buckwheat _(Fagopygum tataricum), _in general Polish: *gryka*


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## ilocas2

In Czech *tatar* is Moravian word for _pomlázka_ (thing used on Easter, read about Czech Easter traditions for more informations)

edit: I can imagine that somebody call steak tartare _tatar_ too. And _Tatar_ is used as swear word, something like stupid person.


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## marco_2

And two more Polish words:

*szwedka *(a Swedish woman) = 1. harrington jacket; 2. a type of crutch

*bułgarka *(a Bulgarian woman) = the variety of bean _(Phascolus vulgaris) _with broad pods


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*francouzák* = francouzský polibek - French kiss

[...]

Mod note: image removed - please explain with words what the term means if you believe it is necessary


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## marco_2

*chińczyk *= a Polish version of the board game _ludo, _also known as *Człowieku, nie irytuj się! *(Mensch ärgere dich nicht)


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*kaliforňan* (Californian) - tram slang word for Californien - mobile track connection - Californien – Wikipedie


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## bibax

*angličan* - křižovatková výhybka (Engländer - Kreuzungsweichen in German);


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## Lubella

полька polka dance
в'єтнамки thongs, Flip Flops
чешки shoes for dancing 
болгарка grinder
китайка tissue
сибірка anthrax
іспанка Spanish flu
отоманка ottoman
турка Small metal pot with a long handle to make coffee.


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## ilocas2

Czech:

*číňan* (Chinese) - slang term for bell in the old type of railway gate crossings (because the upper part of it looks like stereotypical Asian hat)


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## Karton Realista

Polish:
Belgijka - a Belgian dance


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## bibax

*číňan* (aka hekafon) is a bell railway signalling equipment (Glockenbude) using railway block signalling bell code.


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## ilocas2

Czech: *kanady* - type of boots


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> Polish:
> Belgijka - a Belgian dance


Never heard of.


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## Karton Realista

Ben Jamin said:


> Never heard of.


Google
Ze strony zespołu Laïs na Wikipedii:
Z repertuaru zespołu pochodzi utwór 't Smidje, który zyskał popularność w środowiskach harcerskich, oazowych, pielgrzymkowych i KSM-owych oraz RAM jako Taniec belgijski lub Belgijka. Do piosenki powstał układ choreograficzny wykonywany grupowo jako taniec integracyjny.


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## Enquiring Mind

Czech: bermudky (above-the-knee casual trousers); Bulgarian: бермудки (shorts), Russian: бермуды бермудки


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## Karton Realista

Enquiring Mind said:


> Czech: bermudky (above-the-knee casual trousers); Bulgarian: бермудки (shorts), Russian: бермуды бермудки


Pol: *bermudy*


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> Google
> Ze strony zespołu Laïs na Wikipedii:
> Z repertuaru zespołu pochodzi utwór 't Smidje, który zyskał popularność w środowiskach harcerskich, oazowych, pielgrzymkowych i KSM-owych oraz RAM jako Taniec belgijski lub Belgijka. Do piosenki powstał układ choreograficzny wykonywany grupowo jako taniec integracyjny.


Thanks, this explaines the situation.


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## Encolpius

bibax said:


> japonka (na beton)  španělka   švýcarka   holandr (Holanďan)    rus, prusák (Prus), francouz - various species of unpleasant insect, like the soldiers of these nationalities (Napoleonic Wars);  [...] Mod note: image removed - please explain with words what the term means if you believe it is necessary



Can anybody explain what those Czech words mean?


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## bibax

^Hmm, the links to the illustrative pictures were removed.

*japonka* - two-wheel pushcart for transporting concrete (it can be turned upside down);
*španělka* - classical guitar;
*švýcarka* - a kind of pastry;
*marokánka* - a kind of confectionery;
*indiánek* (little Red Indian) - a kind of sweet;
*holandr* (< Holländer, however in German it is _ein Fahrzeug für Kinder_) - a paper producing machine (a machine milling wood, old paper/cloth);
*angličák* - Matchbox car model;


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## ilocas2

Polish:

*Wiedenka* - nickname for railway line Warszawa - Katowice


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## Ben Jamin

bibax said:


> *japonka* - two-wheel pushcart for transporting concrete (it can be turned upside down);


The same in Polish.


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## Karton Realista

Ben Jamin said:


> The same in Polish.


Synonymus to taczka
Japonka is also singular of japonki, in other languages vietnamky.


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> Synonymus to taczka


Absolutely not. Japonka has two large wheels, one on each side (see japonka ), and the gravity center over the axis.


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## Karton Realista

Ben Jamin said:


> Absolutely not. Japonka has two large wheels, one on each side (see japonka ), and the gravity center over the axis.


I googled japonka before. It's not synonymous to taczka, but for an average person it is a unusual kind of taczka, one with big wheels.
The e-shops that sell it describe it sometimes as "taczka japonka". It may not be the 100% approved by the specialists in that domain, but those words are sometimes (or maybe even often) used together.
So I'm wrong, but just half wrong.


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## Ben Jamin

Karton Realista said:


> I googled japonka before. It's not synonymous to taczka, but for an average person it is a unusual kind of taczka, one with big wheels.
> The e-shops that sell it describe it sometimes as "taczka japonka". It may not be the 100% approved by the specialists in that domain, but those words are sometimes (or maybe even often) used together.
> So I'm wrong, but just half wrong.


Is "car" and "bus" synonymous? 
In English the "japonka" type device is called a "cart", not "wheelbarrow".
E-shop people are seldom top specialists in technology.


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