gavia

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See also: Gavia

Latin

Etymology

Of uncertain origin.

One theory, preferred by De Vaan, derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *gowh₂-i- (“shouter”), seemingly from either *geH- (“to sing, cry”) or *gewH- (“to call, cry out”), and adduces as cognates Sanskrit गु (gu, “to proclaim”), Ancient Greek γοάω (goáō, “to groan, weep”), Proto-Slavic *gȍvorъ (“grumble, talk”), and perhaps Old English ċīeġan (“to call”). He also mentions an alternative connection to gaius (“jaybird”), via an independent onomatopoeic root in Proto-Italic *gā̆-.[1]

Another theory derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *gʰabʰl- (“fork, branch of tree”) (due to the similarity of a hawk's claws to a pitchfork), from *gʰeh₁bʰ- (“to grab, take”); compare Old High German gabila, gabala (“sparrow hawk”).

Pronunciation

Noun

gāvia f (genitive gāviae); first declension

  1. common gull and seagull (any kind of gull, generically a kind of bird)

Usage notes

The identity of the gāvia in Classical Latin is uncertain, possibly the gull and the seagull. Modern taxonomic Latin applies the term Gavia to the loon (diver), but Classical Latin called this bird mergus.

Declension

First-declension noun.

singular plural
nominative gāvia gāviae
genitive gāviae gāviārum
dative gāviae gāviīs
accusative gāviam gāviās
ablative gāviā gāviīs
vocative gāvia gāviae

Descendants

  • Catalan: gavina
  • Galician: gaivota (“gull”), gueivota (“gull”), avión (“swallow”)
  • Italian: gabbiano (“gull”), gavina (“common gull”)
  • Maltese: gawwi (“gull”)
  • Occitan: gabian (“gull”)
  • Portuguese: gavião (“hawk”), gaivota (“gull”)
  • Romanian: gaie (“kite”)
  • Sicilian: gàipa (“common gull”), gaipazza (“yellow-legged gull”), gaipuni (“yellow-legged gull”)
  • Spanish: gaviota (“gull”), gavilán (“sparrowhawk”)
  • Translingual: Gavia (“loon, diver”)
  • Tunisian Arabic: ڨاوية (gāwya, “seagull, black-headed gull”)

References

  • “gavia”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • gavia in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  1. ^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “gā̆via”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 256

Spanish

Noun

gavia f (plural gavias)

  1. (nautical) topsail

Further reading

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