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Originally Posted by fearn
Good points Ariel.
It's fascinating that the sword/saber/knife/dagger/etc continuum of weapons seems so prone to this kind of linguistic weirdness. It shows up in other weapons (notably halberds), but outside of weapon terms, the best example I know of is the shrub vs. tree pair.
I suspect that swords, knives, and daggers get into this because there are issues of violence, power, and utility all coming into play. A knife is a fundamental tool, but a military knife is also a symbol of power and maybe that's why they get different names? Just a guess.
Best,
F
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Years ago I read "The Book of the Sword" by Captain Richard Francis Burton. I think it must be one of the earliest ethnographic edged weapons treatise written. Even given it's British-centric, Victorian era cultural context, it's still an excellent resource from a man who used weapons in practice every other day. He explores the notions of edged weapons , from hunter-gathers tools through to swords of state, and the evolution of swords, along a 'spectrum'. He tends to use local names given to edged weapons, as well as notes the names given to swords/ daggers/ knives etc in french and spanish terminology, to differentiate between types. I enjoy reading this philosophy of swords very much! All very interesting.