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tramontane
Jun. 22nd, 2023 07:37 amtramontane (truh-MON-tayn, TRAM-uhn-tayn) - adj., coming from or residing beyond a mountain range, esp. beyond the Alps when viewed from Italy; (by extension) foreign, barbarian. n., someone from beyond the mountains; a foreigner, outlander; a cold northern wind that blows over the Alps into southern Europe.
Spelled this way and not as transmontane (tho' that latter is an alternate spelling) because that's what happens when you pass Latin trānsmontānus (from trāns,across + montānus, of the mountains) through first Old Italian then Old French. Interestingly, this entered English twice, once around 1300 as tramountayne as another name for the Pole Star (another thing beyond the Alps wrt Italy) then again around 1590 with the current senses.
---L.
Spelled this way and not as transmontane (tho' that latter is an alternate spelling) because that's what happens when you pass Latin trānsmontānus (from trāns,across + montānus, of the mountains) through first Old Italian then Old French. Interestingly, this entered English twice, once around 1300 as tramountayne as another name for the Pole Star (another thing beyond the Alps wrt Italy) then again around 1590 with the current senses.
---L.
