Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Winter boots?

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
Charles Spurgeon

I have some sandals and if the weather ever warms up I ought to visit the cordonnier or shoe repairer, which got me wondering how this French word came about. I pictured a cordon of policemen holding their shields, in dark uniforms and wearing leather boots, a common sight these days when the people join a protest. But I was barking up the wrong tree.

This word has roots in latin Corduanarius and Cordwainer. Etymology for the word Cordwainer a shoemaker, who used cordovan leather from Cordoba in Spain. Cordovan leather was made from horse not cow hide.

If it doesn't warm up soon I may be back into winter boots or move South to Spain!

I am going to warm up with one of my recent photographs which I posted in the Flickr Group VIVID COLOURS


Take a Bow



The flowers were showing themselves off in the Jardin Public in Fougeres. What flowers are on show in your local park/public gardens?

Botte is the French word for boots

Semelle is the French word for the sole of your shoe.

6 comments:

Ken Devine said...

Hi Blu
That was an interesting post. Its nice to find out origins of words and I love the quote.
The garden is crammed with colour now and the weather isn't too bad. It's a little cold but warm if you are in the sun. I'm hoping it'll be VERY warm next week when I come to France.

Ashley Ashbee said...

Thanks for this origins post... I'm in love with language and, while I only speak English, I'm fascinated by the origins of words of any language! Besides, much of English comes from different languages anyway! I learned a bit of French in elementary school, but it was Quebec French which is apparently quite different from France French.

That flower is beautiful! I know how it is to be disappointed with the disappearance of spring... We had warm weather in Toronto for a while, but now it's more like late fall! Darn... I'm looking forward to my mom's hydrangeas!

LadyFi said...

Cold here too! Love that graceful flower bowing its head.

ArtPropelled said...

Glorious colours! I've just popped over to Vivid Colours for a browse.

Carol said...

Cold here as well...can't wait for a bit of sunshine!!

Great photo

C x

French Fancy... said...

That flower could almost be a butterfly.

I've got my boots off today for the first time in ages. Still got socks though (I get very cold feet)