(http://www.chessvariants.com/piececlopedia.dir/pawn.html) The Pawn was originally called a padati, which was Sanskrit for foot-soldier. The Persians translated this to piyada, the Persian word for foot-soldier. The Arabs transliterated the Persian name to baidak, which meant nothing but a Pawn in Chess. In Latin, it was pedo, pedonis,or pedes, all meaning foot-soldier. This led to the French pion, which also meant foot-soldier. And this led to the Anglo-French poun, which led to the English Pawn. Although it is etymologically related to words for foot-soldier, Pawn isn't used in that sense in English. All the English word means is the piece in Chess. The German name is Bauer, which means peasant.
Origination of the word Pawn
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yes I agree the anonym comment.
| Sanskrit | Persian | Arabic | Latin | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja (King) | Shah | Shah | Rex | King |
| Mantri (Minister) | Vazir (Vizir) | Firz | Regina | Queen |
| Gajah (war elephant) | Fil | Al-Phil | Episcopus/Comes/Calvus | Bishop/Count/Councillor |
| Ashva (horse) | Asb | Fars | Miles/Eques | Knight |
| Ratha (chariot) | Rokh | Rukh | Rochus/Marchio | Rook/Margrave |
| Padati (footman/footsoldier) | Piadeh | Baidaq | Pedes/Pedinus | Pawn |
Mar 5, 2009
0
#24
The OED is correct. Pawn is from peon, which means foot soldier or peasant (from whom the ranks of foot soldiers are supplied). The OED editor's son, James Murray, states as much in the The History of Chess (1913)--that text is also the source for shreeganesh85's comparison chart. The reference to an ancient English acronym that inaugurated this thread is interesting, but runs in the face of the ancient use in languages other than English.
lol, you including an "n" in "and" in your otherwise creatively accurate work of "authentic" historical linguistic discourse... anyway, it's very amusing, and i'm sure you meant it as such, so please carry on...
If he's claiming it's derived from an ancient acronym he's simply wrong. Perhaps that entry from the oxford dictionary was edited by John Cleese.
I know someone who calls pawns ......., ponies...
(excerpt)Men of Staunton - or are they?
by Barry Martin
(Chess Magazine October 1994)
http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/stauntonpawn.html
by Barry Martin
(Chess Magazine October 1994)
http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/stauntonpawn.html
The Staunton pawn is linked to the Freemason's compass and square. Chiswick House displays the same ball and square motif as the Staunton pawn. In the Craft the square symbolises morality and righteousness, and compasses symbolise spirituality. This particular meaning is also closely associated with the earlier moral and religious importance allocated to chess play in the latter half of the 15th century. Le jeu des echoes de la dame, Moralise, a manuscript written at that time, describes the game of chess, based on the new powers of the Queen (after 1475), as a game played between the devil and a lady - with the lady's soul as the wager. The chess board represents the world and each piece and pawn is titled and described. For example, the king's pawn, "pion", is the love of God, etc. The idea was that concerns of morality lead to concerns of spirituality and by leading an exemplary life the reward was eventual resurrection to the life hereafter - a win against temptation, the devil and damnation. Freemasonry in its purest form has a comparable concern. Philidor's much quoted comment that "... the Pawns; they are the very life of the game", may in this context have very special significance. Even Murray alludes to Freemasonry when he states that "during ing play, the King, Queen and other chess men stand according to their several degrees. When the game is over, all are tumbled back into the - bag and Pawns may lie above Kings, and Bishops above Rooks".
Complete article at:
http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/stauntonpawn.html
http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/stauntonpawn.html
I was told that you can construct your "pawn name" by taking the name of your first pet and the maiden name of your mother (Butch Rimmer in my case - so it doesn't always work very well). I have believed for a long time now that the pawns have been unfairly under-represented on the nomenclature front. So to redress the balance for the boys (and girls) of the front row I have come up with an ingenious method of my own devising for naming them. I call them:
Angharrad; Brynach; Cerys; Dafydd; Eurwen; Ffion; Gwynedd; and Heddwynn
(They are named after the letter of the file that they start on - genius!! I have a world-wide patent pending so don't even think about it)
It really helps with my chess notation and I usually open with the unconventional Brynach 4. I take much greater care of my pawns having named them all - they are like a second family to me. On my home set I have even painted little faces on their big spherical heads so that I can more easily tell them apart. On the downside in the recent Welsh Open tournament I cried like a bereaved father when Cerys was taken from me early doors during a vicious Sicillian trap. (I made her a new dress when we got home to make it up to her).
This must be a fairly common practice - so I would like to know what names you use for your own pawns?
Eh?
I would name my pawns "Queen Mary" or "Queen Elizabeth II" only if they were promoted to be ocean liners.
Strange thing. In spanish, we call them peones.
What is strange is that peones mean farmers.
In welsh peones are flowers
At chesse with me she gan to playe,
With her fals draughts (moves) dyvers,
She staale on me and toke my fers (Queen),
And wharne I sawe my fers awaye,
Allas I couthe no longer playe,
But seyde, farewell swete yuys,
And farewell ul that ever ther ys,
Therwith fortune seyde Chek here,
And mayte in the myd poynt of the Chek here, (chess board)
WIth a paune (pawn) errante allas,
Ful craftier to playe she was,
Than Athalus that made the game,
First of the chesse, so was hys name.
--CHAUCER, The Boke of the Duchesse
(Chess History and Reminiscences by H. E. Bird)