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Thursday 12 August 2021

Linguistic Archaeology: that first Monster

 Its thought to come from the latin 'monteo' meaning: "To remind, warn, instruct, or fortell." But where do monsters come from?


Monster in almost every language
1. Monster
2. Përbindësh
3. Ch’irak’i
4. Wahsh
5. Hresh
6. Canavar
7. Munstroa
8. Pačvara
9. Dānaba
10. Chudovishte
11. Monstre
12. Chilombo
13. Guàiwù
14. Mostru
15. Čudovište
16. Netvor
17. Uhyre
18. Monstro (esperanto)
19. Koletis
20. Halimaw
21. Hirviö
22. Meunster
23. Monstro
24. Monst’ri
25. Téras
26. Rākṣasa
27. Mons
28. Dodo
29. ʻEnekia
30. MF*A (hebrew)
31. Raakshas
32. Dab
33. Szörnyeteg
34. Skrímsli
35. Nnukwu anụ
36. Mostro
37. Monsutā
38. Daityākārada
39. Monstr
40. Besach
41. Goemul
42. Wehş
43. Sad parad
44. Monstrs
45. Monstras
46. Raksasa
47. Rākṣasan
48. Taniwha
49. Mangas
50. M*N*TR (pashto)
51. Potwór
52. Rākhaśa
53. Monstru
54. Sauʻamea
55. Uilebheist
56. Phoofolo ea tonanahali
57. *AN* (sindhi)
58. rākṣayā
59. Monštrum
60. Pošast
61. Daanyeer
62. Monstruo
63. Hajulo
64. Acuraṉ
65. M*NPTP (tatar)
66. Rākṣasuḍu
67. S̄ạtw̒ prah̄lād
68. M* (urdu)
69. Yirtqich hayvon
70. Quái vật
71. Anghenfil
72. Isigebenga
73. Farzeenish
74. Aderubaniyan
75. Isilo

Popularity of Use
A       %      E      %       I       %      O       %        U         %
41  55%     24  32%    23  31%   29    39%       20    27%

B       %      C      %       D       %      F       %        G         %
8  10%       8  10%       12  16%     4    5%        6        8%

H       %      J      %       K       %      L       %        M         %
21   28%     1    1%       13  17%    11  14%      24  32%

N       %      P      %       Q       %      R       %        S         %
35  47%     8  10%       2     2%      42  56%      43    58%

T       %      V      %       W       %      X       %        Y         %
29  39%     8  10%       8     10%      0      0%       7      9%

Z       %
2     2%




Popularity of use
58% S:
56% R, S:
55% A, R, S:
47% N, A, R, S: *AN* (sindhi),
39% T, O, N, A, R, S:
32% M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Monster, Monstre, Monstro (esperanto), Monstro, Mons, Mostro, Monstr, Monstrs, Monstras, M*N*TR (pashto), M* (urdu), Téras,
31% I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Monst’ri,
28% H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Hresh
27% U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Monštrum, Monstruo, Monstru, Sauʻamea, Meunster, Monsutā, Munstroa, Mostru,
17% K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Raksasa, Rākṣasan, Rākhaśa, Rākṣasa, ʻEnekia, Raakshas,
16% D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Dab, Rākṣasuḍu, Dodo,
14% L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Skrímsli, Isilo, Koletis,
10% W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Pošast, M*NPTP (tatar), Përbindësh, Sad parad, Potwór, S̄ạtw̒ prah̄lād, Taniwha, Wehş, Nnukwu anụ, Halimaw, Wahsh, Besach, Acuraṉ, Ch’irak’i, Chilombo, Čudovište, Netvor, Hirviö, Pačvara, Chudovishte, Canavar, Dānaba, Uilebheist,
9% Y, W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Daanyeer, Aderubaniyan, Rākṣayā, Uhyre, Daityākārada,
8% G, Y, W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Mangas, Isigebenga, Guàiwù, Goemul,
5% F, G, Y, W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Phoofolo ea tonanahali, Anghenfil, MF*A (hebrew),
2% Z, Q, F, G, Y, W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Yirtqich hayvon, Quái vật, Farzeenish, Szörnyeteg,
1% J, Z, Q, F, G, Y, W, V, P, C, B, L, D, K, U, H, I, M, E, T, O, N, A, R, S: Hajulo,
0% X


Conclusion: It seems to appear in the S linguistic group, though the close proximity of R and A linguistic groups confuse the outcome. The main definition of monster is a large, hideous creature which could be anything from an elephant to a whale for early peoples.
The earliest partially identified monster is *AN* (sindhi) at 47% and a bandgap at 39% before it emerges fully identified at 32% across Eurasia and western Europe. So it might be an elephant. Even the Greek Téras appears here at 32%. Encounters with monsters drop off during 31%-28% before increasing at 17%. Encounters with Monsters peaks at 10% before declining to 1%.


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