I'm not talking about words like stop or OK whihc are universally used, but words with similar roots which have different versions in different languages (eg: tea, the, tee, cha, chai, etc...)
2007-03-13 02:03:39 · 15 answers · asked by Alyosha 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
How about beer?
Biere = French
Bier = German
Birra = Italian
Biiru = Japanese
Beera = Hebrew
2007-03-13 02:13:07 · answer #1 · answered by massadaman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
chances are it's a Latin-native word. This language, with the possible exception of Greek, has the most influence over Indo-European languages. Some examples would be: angelus, circus, civitas, beneficium, iustitia (justice),littera, nuptiae, officium, poena, populus, sexus, scientia, sol, speculum, statio, verbum,tyrannus. etc. I think these words have the most similar spellings in most different languages.
As regards Greek, I think these words are the most borrowed by other languages:
puberty, nature, censorship, tirade, asteroid, period, amplitude, discipline, analysis, crisis, syntax, music, logic, philosophy.
post scriptum : i couldn't write them in Greek (>-<)
2007-03-13 02:24:56 · answer #2 · answered by Sniper of Goth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd go for mother or two. Both of these are the same most of the Indo European family which includes about 200-300 languages.
2007-03-13 02:14:08 · answer #3 · answered by Gnomon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Coca Cola
Band Aid
Microsoft
LOL
2007-03-13 19:31:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ow is the only word in the world which is used in every language. It always has the same meaning.
2007-03-13 04:28:37 · answer #5 · answered by michealomainin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is definitely a derivative of "ma" for mother, as this is the easiest sound for a baby to make.
2007-03-13 02:18:44 · answer #6 · answered by lazer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i've head it´s ma, meaning mother
there is a similar word in every language.
2007-03-13 02:08:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
try chocolate! it's the same spelling in english and spanish, the only variety is the pronunciation
2007-03-13 02:11:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be Coca cola.
2007-03-13 08:46:32 · answer #9 · answered by elflaeda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
English: mama - mother
Chinese: mama - mother
2007-03-13 02:15:40 · answer #10 · answered by rich b 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋