Caribbean (NEW CONCEPTS)

[TelMiles]

Anyone know the etymology of the word "Caribbean"?

Thanks in advance
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Against all Gods.

[DPCrisp]

Caribbean and cannibal are Spanish corruptions of a Haitian name, according to the New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.

Caribbean, Carib: [Sp. caribe f. Haitian creole: cf. cannibal.] Any of the aboriginal inhabitants of the southern W. Indian islands and adjacent coasts. The American Indian language of these people.

cannibal: [Sp. Canibales (pl.), a form (recorded by Columbus) of the name Caribes a people of the W. Indies: see carib.]

[TelMiles]

Thank you very much DP Crisp. Very enlightening.
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Against all Gods.

[DPCrisp]

Do you believe it? (I have no reason not to.) Was it a veiled question?

I've got the NSOED on my PC and use www.etymonline.com a lot: but I don't necessarily take what they say for granted.

[TelMiles]

Nah, no veiled question. Their answer does seem feasible to me. However, Caribbean sounds a bit too English to me to be just a Spanish misuse of a Haitian word. Someone assured me once that there was a bean called a "Carib" and they grew in the area, hence the name "Carib-Bean." In hindsight I feel he may have been pulling my leg.

Ps. ty for the link. That will come in most useful.
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Against all Gods.

[DPCrisp]

The -ean ending is English alright.

And the carob-bean comes from the Med.

[TelMiles]

ah, so there was something in the old geezer after all! Just wrong continent.

I just looked up the word "bean" and apparently it means "of little value"...

Does that fit in with their former value to Britain and the Empire?
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Against all Gods.

[Mick Harper]

[DPCrisp]

Flatterer.