alcatraz

alcatraz¹ paper cone; calla lily

Pronunciation

• /alkaˈtɾaθ/, [al.kaˈt̪ɾaθ], /alkaˈtɾas/^[1]

Forms

alcatraz m (plural alcatraces)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the paper cone is a variant of alcartaz, which according to Corominas is borrowed from Andalusian Arabic قرطاس (qartás, “sheet of paper, wrapping paper, paper cone”).^[2][3] The DLE and Corriente give the Andalusian form with ⟨a⟩ or ⟨i⟩ in the first syllable, and its source as Arabic قرطاس (qirṭās), which goes back through Syriac to Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs, “sheet of papyrus”).^[4][5][6] Corominas finds the Greek source surprising, since the Arabic does not render its sounds as expected, and suggests the Latin accusative plural chartas; the TDHLE agrees that this is more probable.^[2][3] Wiktionary derives the word from القرطاس (al-qirṭās, “the papyrus”).^[1]

The plant called aro got the same name, according to Corominas, because of the great size of its leaves.^[2] Gómez de Silva derives the Mexican name of the calla lily from this word too, and stresses that it has a different origin from the bird.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TDHLE's first example of the form alcatraz in the sense “paper cone” is a satire of 1653, in which a doctor's hired sweets came back to the confectioner with a pear and three comfits missing en cada alcatraz “in each cone”.^[3] The form alcartaz is older: Nebrija has alcartaz para especias “a cone for spices” in 1495.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The Academy's dictionary has listed alcatraz since 1783, marked as old until 1832, and in 1843 it simply referred the reader to cucurucho.^[3][8] In Mexico the word stayed in use for a cone of sweets: an 1871 text has un grande alcatraz de dulces, and Ramos y Duarte recorded it as a Guadalajara word.^[3][9] The plant sense, for the arum or aro, entered the Academy's dictionary in 1899.^[10][3] In Mexico alcatraz is the calla lily, a white bract shaped like a cone around a yellow spike.^[11][12]

Timeline

• 1495 – Nebrija records the older form alcartaz for a spice cone.^[3]
• 1653 – alcatraz for a cone of sweets.^[3]
• 1783 – first in the Academy's dictionary, as an old word.^[3]
• 1871 – un grande alcatraz de dulces in a Mexican text.^[3]
• 1899 – the Academy adds the plant sense aro.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. A paper cone; the same as alcartaz or cucurucho.^[11][1]
2. (botany) The arum, the plant also called aro.^[11][13]
3. (Mexico) The calla lily, an ornamental plant with a white cone-shaped bract around a column of tiny yellow flowers.^[11][12]

alcatraz² gannet; pelican

Pronunciation

• /alkaˈtɾaθ/, [al.kaˈt̪ɾaθ], /alkaˈtɾas/^[1]

Forms

alcatraz m (plural alcatraces)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the seabird is probably borrowed from Andalusian Arabic *qaṭrás, which the DLE glosses “the one with the proud gait”, from Arabic غطاس (ġaṭṭās, “diver”).^[11][14][13] Corriente, Pereira and Vicente explain the Andalusian form as the Arabic word for “diver” altered under the influence of roots meaning “to walk proudly”.^[14] Corominas gave the source as an Arabic name of a kind of sea eagle, and Wiktionary as الغطاس (al-ġaṭṭās, “the diver”).^[15][16][1] Older explanations differ: Huerta's 1624 translation of Pliny and the Diccionario de Autoridades took the name from the sound the bird makes with its bill in the water, and Devic linked it with the Arabic word behind arcaduz, because the pelican carries water in its bill.^[17][18][19]

From Spanish the word passed into English, where it became English albatross (1769), the name of another bird, altered by association with the white colour of the albatross;^[13] Spanish later borrowed it back as albatros.^[15][13]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pero López de Ayala's Libro de la caza de las aves (1386) names alcatrazes among the birds that live on fish, with the osprey and other seabirds.^[20][17][16] In the Victorial (1435–1448) they breed on the ground of the Atlantic islands with doves, gulls and falcons.^[17]

Semantic evolution

On Columbus's first voyage (1492–1493) the sighting of an alcatraz was a sign that land was near.^[20] Fernández de Oviedo described the American birds in 1526 and saw one swallow a whole coat into its pouch.^[21] From then on the word served mainly for the American pelicans.^[21][17] The Academy defined it as a pelican from 1843.^[8][17] The present dictionary uses it instead for the white, black-tipped gannet of temperate seas.^[11][22] In Venezuela it is the brown pelican.^[12]

The name was also an insult from the 16th century, and in Ecuador it has meant, mockingly, a town councillor or a dishonest official.^[17][23][24] In Peru alcatraz is a dance in which the men try to burn a ribbon worn by the woman with a candle.^[12]

Timeline

• 1386 – López de Ayala's Libro de la caza de las aves.^[20][15]
• 1492–1493 – an alcatraz reaches Columbus's ship on the first voyage.^[20]
• 1526 – Fernández de Oviedo describes the American birds.^[21]
• 1528 – the feminine alcatraça as an insult in La Lozana andaluza.^[17]
• 1546 – first record from Santo Domingo.^[25]
• 1726 – the Diccionario de Autoridades describes it as a bird a little larger than a swan.^[18]
• 1769 – English albatross, from the Spanish word.^[15]

Meanings

Noun

1. (zoology) The gannet, a large white seabird of temperate seas with a long bill and pointed, black-tipped wings.^[11][22][1]
2. (Latin America) The pelican; in Venezuela the brown pelican.^[26][12]
3. (Ecuador, humorous) A town councillor.^[23][24]
4. (Peru) A dance of African and local rhythms in which the men try to set fire to a ribbon worn by the woman.^[12]