Talk:Spruce

Correct Etymology

The name of the tree spruce comes directly from the Polish phrase “z Prus” (from Prussia). In the Middle Ages, the Hanseatic merchants from the region of Praussia (which was part of the Kingdom of Poland at that time) brought goods (including Spruce wood) by ships to many ports around the Baltic and the North Seas. They did not speak the languages of the countries they brought the goods to. They were trying to communicate using the Polish language and the usual phrase they used was “z Prus” to inform the local merchants that they came from Prussia. After a while the English merchants picked it up as the name of the tree the Polish merchants brought and called it „sprews” then “Spruce”, which is pronounced exactly as the Polish “z Prus”. The etymology in the main article is wrong. There is no reason why the name of this tree would come from French. 98.7.12.219 (talk) 19:45, 2 January 2024 (UTC)

That is indeed correct. The word "spruce" traces its etymology not from the French word "Pruce," as is commonly and mistakenly believed, but rather from the Polish phrase "z Prus," meaning "from Prussia." This correct origin, emphasized by the esteemed English historian Norman Davies in his authoritative work "God's Playground: A History of Poland," highlights the linguistic journey from the Middle Ages' Hanseatic trade. Polish Hanseatic sailors and traders, when asked about the type of wood, would reply with "z Prus," referring to its Prussian origin. Over time, English adapted and morphed this phrase into "spruce," signifying not just any wood but specifically the spruce tree. This transformation showcases the profound influence of trade on language, debunking the lazy explanation that links the word to French origins. Davies' research offers a more accurate and credible account than commonly referenced sources like etymonline.com, underscoring the importance of historical and linguistic precision in tracing the roots of words in the English language. 46.205.140.25 (talk) 20:48, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Also, as stated in the main article, the word spruce (spuse, sprws) originally has been the term for all kinds of goods brought to England by Hanseatic merchants from Prussia (part of the Kingdom of Poland at the time), which is a direct evidence that the origin of the word is the Polish phrase "Z Prus" literally meaning "From Prussia". etymonline.com has been known as a not very credible source of etymology, of which this case is a perfect proof. As a side note, etymonline.com is a commercial website having the quantity and not quality of content as its main interest/goal. It shouldn't be a respected practice to use etymonline.com as a source of citations.

It is a common notion among Polish and English historians that the Polish Hanseatic merchants did not speak much of English and they used the Polish phrase "Z Prus" to inform potential buyers that they are bringing their goods from Prussia, which was the region in direct vicinity of the Polish Hanseatic port of Gdansk.

It's about time someone updates the etymology section of the main article. 46.205.140.25 (talk) 19:26, 25 February 2024 (UTC)

Thanks for your firmly held opinion. However, Wikipedia works from reliable published sources; your material has, and I don't wish to be rude, the feel of a folk etymology, a plausible-sounding narrative which, however often it is repeated, may not be correct. Etymology online gives the same derivation as Merriam-Webster which is certainly a reliable source. Middle English in the 14th century was accompanied by Anglo-French, so the adoption of words from there is not surprising. Chiswick Chap (talk) 14:39, 10 September 2025 (UTC)