What was coffee originally called in Europe?
The word "coffee" itself is of Arabic origin – that's one of the reasons for this beverage to be known as "Arabian wine" in Europe. Nevertheless, a small linguistic investigation of its origin might be quite interesting.
The appearance of the word "coffee" in Europe is the result of various transformations of the Arabic phrase "qahhwat al-bun" which means "the bean's wine". Gradually, the phrase was cut to the "gahwah" form and then the variations of the transformed word were spread around the entire continent. In Turkey, it turned into "kahveh", in Dutch – into "koffie" and finally in the UK the word took its current form as "coffee".
What are your thoughts on this subject?
121 Comments
James Vetzel
Can't drink Coffee anymore, the Navy ruined it, I've had Saltwater Coffee, Stagnant Water Coffee, Brown Water Coffee, Fuel Oil Coffee, Diesel Oil Coffee and JP5 (Jet Fuel) Coffee, oh, I forgot, also Navy "Mud" Coffee, That stuff will either put hair on your chest or make it fall off.
Hope Guajardo
Yemen in South Egypt? Try the south of the Arabian Peninsula. South of Egypt are the Nubians.
Gae Maffei
Ethiopia grows coffee in Kaffa Province and this was where I was told the name came from
Ludlow Bushmat
I can't imagine life without coffee.
Kevin Hughes
Very interesting since coffee does a lot of the same things to the brain as wine
Irene Townsend
Lynne Cage, So do we in NZ, Good cup of Coffee every morning
Char
Svetla Jakimoff, thank You makes perfect sense
Char
Johnnie McHan, each to their own
Char
Ludlow Bushmat, me either and don't want to think about it lol
Char
I knew the origins but missed it comparing it to tea. Black it is very bitter lol love my coffee with cream and sugar..
Joris van Pelt
also in Dutch: Bakje Troost ( cup of Solace)
teresab
And I thought the answer was Java but that wasn't an option. I grew up on "Javanese coffee," finely ground coffee in the pot, pour on the boiling water, allow to settle, pour and drink. Also called Kopi Tubruk. Now my weekend treat is plunger coffee.
jack patti go
Ludlow Bushmat, DITTO,
jack patti go
James Vetzel, oh my gosh! Nobody better ruin my coffee for me! Nectar of the Gods!
Paul Martin
Living in the Nederlands back in the 1980's..i found coffee very different and had an instant likeness for good coffee.
Ivan Haswell Crone
Very interesting.Love your explanations
Sheila Rhea
Love my coffee
Tim ODonnell
Oh well.
Karma Zopa
The wprd coffe comes from the word Kefa in Ethiopia. The coffe was taken from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia, so the word Arabica coffe comes from The Arabic word. History of Coffe.....