Re: OT: Junk

Ian Spackman wrote:
> According to my dictionaries its from Malay _jong_, but they don't say of
> it's the general Malay word for ship.
>
It isn't.  At least in Bah.Indonesia, jong refers only to the Chinese-type
ship.  Ship in general is _kapal_, said to be of S.Indian origin.  _kapal
api, kapal layar_ resp. 'steam ("fire") ship, sailing ship'.  Then there's
p(e)rahu (also borrowed as Engl. prow, prau or proa) that refers to
native-style (sail) ships, or also IIRC to outrigger canoes.  Other area
languages have other terms; they borrow kapal to refer to
western/non-native-style ships.

Apparently these are distinguished according to the style of their
construction and rigging, of which I know very little.