Re: OT Re: Old French

> While we're on this topic (The Dead Lady, not Old French I mean), I have a
> question for the Chinese experts (if any are reading this):
> Besides being German for beginning, I've always wondered if "Anfang" could
> also be a Chinese word of some kind. C.S. knew Chinese (Mandarin I think)
> as well as German.
I'm not expert, but I do have a dictionary. Under "an" it lists 14 characters,
and 11 under "fang". I don't know the context, so take your pick. Briefly, they
mean something like:

an1: assign, install | where, how | saddle | ammonia | know well | hut, nunnery
     | quail (n.)
an3: I, exclusive we | ammonium
an4: record, file, legal case | push, restrain, in accordance with; note (n.)
     | gloomy | dull, dim, hidden, hazy | bank, shore, coast

fang1: square; direction, method, prescription, just (about) | fragrant; virtue
fang2: house, room (the most familiar "fang" word) | workshop, mill | defence | hinder
fang3: visit | imitate, resemble | boat | spin
fang4: put, place; let go; give off; shoot; blossom, open; put out to pasture;
       expend; readjust somewhat; show, play, film (what a word!).

where the numbers indicate the tone. It might help to know that in chinese, the
compounding order is modifier-modified. The dictionary also lists (polysyllabic)
words, under their first character. There's one "anfang" listed, meaning "lay,
place", which is the second "an" (where, how) plus the final "fang". Personally
I'd go for "imitating ammonium".

stephen