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From: mathias@uhunix4.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Gerald B Mathias)
Subject: Re: etymology of tea (was:Re: Original Chinese Language)
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Date: Thu, 22 Dec 1994 20:11:46 GMT
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Hung J Lu (hlu@GAS.UUG.Arizona.EDU) wrote:

: 3) Regarding Japan, the book states "... Japanese history
:    records that as early as 729 A.D. Emperor Shomu served
:    tea to a hundred monks in the palace". 

:    It is likely that the Japanese word for tea was imported 
:    directly from Middle Chinese.

It was imported from Middle Chinese (perhaps twice: goon and kan'on)
in a form that has come down as "sa."  Sino-Japanese "s" from that
period can reflect original Chinese affricates in the alveolar to
palatal range, as well as fricatives. 	   

"Cha" is presumably a later (12 century?) import coinciding with
the early Zen and tea-ceremony period.

Bart Mathias
