Re: OT: Junk

On Tue, Sep 09, 2003 at 11:34:33AM -0400, H. S. Teoh wrote:
> The Malay word for small boat (skiff?) is /sampan/, which is awfully close
> to /sampah/, "trash". Not that this has anything to do with "junk", of
> course. ;-)
Plus, "sampan" has been borrowed into English separately from "junk".
I don't know if there is any significant distinction that makes a boat
a "sampan" rather than something else, but there doesn't need to be -
English is more of a gourmand than a gourmet in its selection of loanwords,
and takes 'em whether it needs 'em or not. :)

-Mark