October 20, 1998 transcript # 256-2
Subject(s): weather terms, typhoons, hurricanes
Title: TYPHOON LEXICOLOGYHi, I’m Dave Thurlow for the Weather Notebook. Hurricanes and Typhoons: they’re really the same thing, so why two different words for the same type of storm? Well, to answer this, we welcome Weather Notebook Lexicologist Dr. G. M. I. Smart from Ivory Towers, England.
"Ah, yes indeed. Thank you very, very much. The word ‘typhoon’ stems most recently from the Polynesian word…’typhoon.’ This root of this word, begins with the Greek, ’typhoon.’ During the Middle Ages, the Greek ‘typhoon,’ transformed to the Arabic word…’typhoon," then moved on to India, where it became: ‘typhoon.’
Now, meanwhile, in China, there was a similar term that was actually a combination of two words. ‘Ty’…meaning ‘lotsa’ and ‘phoon’…meaning ‘wind.’ Together these words combined into…’typhoon:’ ‘lotsa wind.’ The Chinese and Indian words merged into the present English word…"
'Wait a second; wait, hold on there, doc. Let me guess…’typhoon.’
"No…’hurricane.’ The English word ‘hurricane’ actually stems from the Spanish word…’hurricane.’ And the Spanish word from two Caribbean words. One, ‘hurra’…. meaning ‘lotsa’ and ‘cane’…meaning ‘wind.’ ‘Lotsa wind.’ So, no matter where the word stem from, a ‘hurricane,’ is a ‘typhoon,’ is a ‘hurricane,’ is a ‘typhoon.’ Thank you."
Well, thanks a lot doc, that really clears it up. I think he said that "typhoons" and "hurricanes" are really the same thing, they just come from different places. Our show is a production of the Mount Washington Observatory with support from Subaru, and the National Science Foundation.