Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.

We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.

According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
share bread with.

Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?

In article <l3ori5Fda4cU1@mid.individual.net>,
occam@nowhere.nix says...
>
> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.
>
> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.
>
> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
> share bread with.
>
> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?

Crumbs

Janet

On 22-Feb-24 15:23, Janet wrote:
> In article <l3ori5Fda4cU1@mid.individual.net>,
> occam@nowhere.nix says...
>>
>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
>> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.
>>
>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
>> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.
>>
>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>> share bread with.
>>
>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>
> Crumbs
Doh!

--
Sam Plusnet

On Thu, 22 Feb 2024, at 19:45:52, Sam Plusnet posted:
>On 22-Feb-24 15:23, Janet wrote:
>> In article <l3ori5Fda4cU1@mid.individual.net>,
>> occam@nowhere.nix says...
>>>
>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
>>> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.
>>>
>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
>>> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.
>>>
>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>>> share bread with.
>>>
>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>> Crumbs
>Doh!
>
Cryptic crosswords can throw up some delightful ingenuities. here's a
clue from a few weeks ago:
Measure of a fraction of a loaf? (7 letters).
--
Paul W

Sam Plusnet wrote:

>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>>> share bread with.
>>>
>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>
>> Crumbs

> Doh!

Yeast a minute.

--
Bertel, Denmark

occam wrote:

> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.

> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.

> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
> share bread with.

> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?

All you knead is loaf.

On 22/02/2024 22:54, Bebercito wrote:
> All you knead is loaf.

<bravo!>

On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
> 'company'.
>
> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
> so common.
>
> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
> describes someone you would share bread with.
>
> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?

Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

Le 22/02/2024 à 12:04, occam a écrit :
>
> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.
>
> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.
>
> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
> share bread with.
>
> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?

Companies mostly exist to make bread.

Paul Wolff wrote:

> On Thu, 22 Feb 2024, at 19:45:52, Sam Plusnet posted:
>>On 22-Feb-24 15:23, Janet wrote:
>>> In article <l3ori5Fda4cU1@mid.individual.net>,
>>> occam@nowhere.nix says...
>>>>
>>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
>>>> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word 'company'.
>>>>
>>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity. Yes,
>>>> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so common.
>>>>
>>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>>>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>>>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>>>> share bread with.
>>>>
>>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>> Crumbs
>>Doh!
>>
> Cryptic crosswords can throw up some delightful ingenuities. here's a
> clue from a few weeks ago:
> Measure of a fraction of a loaf? (7 letters).

Neurone?

Bebercito wrote:

> All you knead is loaf.

Great!

--
Bertel, Denmark

Hibou wrote:

>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>> share bread with.
>>
>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>
> Companies mostly exist to make bread.

And the coworkers are called breaðren.

--
Bertel, Denmark

On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>> 'company'.
>>
>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>> so common.
>>
>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>
>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>
> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
>

I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
else when it came to business and money matters.

Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)

On 23/02/2024 09:45, occam wrote:
> On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
>> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>> 'company'.
>>>
>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>>> so common.
>>>
>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>>
>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>
>> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
>> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
>> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
>>
>
> I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
> else when it came to business and money matters.
>
> Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
> 'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
> Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
> Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
> anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
> and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)
>

Holy Roman Empire (800CE) != Roman Empire (31BCE)

--
Chris Elvidge, England
I WILL NOT STRUT AROUND LIKE I OWN THE PLACE

On 2024-02-23, occam wrote:

> On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
>> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>> 'company'.
>>>
>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>>> so common.
>>>
>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>>
>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>
>> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
>> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
>> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
>>
>
> I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
> else when it came to business and money matters.
>
> Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
> 'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
> Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
> Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
> anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
> and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)

The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
times but it was predominantly German.

--
....the reason why so many professional artists drink a lot is not
necessarily very much to do with the artistic temperament, etc. It is
simply that they can afford to, because they can normally take a large
part of a day off to deal with the ravages. ---Amis _On Drink_

On 2024-02-22 13:45, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 22-Feb-24 15:23, Janet wrote:
>> In article <l3ori5Fda4cU1@mid.individual.net>,
>> occam@nowhere.nix says...
>>>
>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words and
>>> their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>> 'company'.
>>>
>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.  Yes,
>>> the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not so
>>> common.
>>>
>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people would
>>> get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too dissimilar to the
>>> French word copain ('a close friend') which describes someone you would
>>> share bread with.
>>>
>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>
>>    Crumbs
> Doh!

Yeast is yeast and nest is nest, and never the mane shall tweet>

--
veni, vidi, velcro.

On 23/02/2024 16:51, Adam Funk wrote:
> On 2024-02-23, occam wrote:
>
>> On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
>>> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>>>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>>> 'company'.
>>>>
>>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>>>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>>>> so common.
>>>>
>>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>>>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>>>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>>>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>>>
>>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>>
>>> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
>>> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
>>> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
>>>
>>
>> I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
>> else when it came to business and money matters.
>>
>> Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
>> 'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
>> Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
>> Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
>> anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
>> and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)
>
> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
> times but it was predominantly German.
>
....headquartered where? QED.

Adam Funk hat am 23.02.2024 um 16:51 geschrieben:
> On 2024-02-23, occam wrote:
>
>> On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
>>> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>>>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>>> 'company'.
>>>>
>>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>>>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>>>> so common.
>>>>
>>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>>>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>>>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>>>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>>>
>>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>>
>>> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
>>> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
>>> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.

Companio? In which language? In Italian it's "compagno".

>> I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
>> else when it came to business and money matters.
>>
>> Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
>> 'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
>> Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
>> Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
>> anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
>> and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)
>
> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
> times but it was predominantly German.

And by the time bankers had become established in Lombardy and Tuscany,
the Italian independent medieval communes may have been a nominal part
of the Holy Roman Empire, but those German emperors who tried to
establish their authority there were not well received.
For starters: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Barbarossa> and
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guelphs_and_Ghibellines>

Adam Funk <a24061@ducksburg.com> wrote:

> On 2024-02-23, occam wrote:
>
> > On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
> >> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
> >>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
> >>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
> >>> 'company'.
> >>>
> >>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
> >>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
> >>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
> >>> so common.
> >>>
> >>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
> >>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
> >>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
> >>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
> >>> describes someone you would share bread with.
> >>>
> >>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
> >>
> >> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
> >> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
> >> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
> >>
> >
> > I'd go with the Italians, who were, at the time, miles ahead of anyone
> > else when it came to business and money matters.
> >
> > Same for 'Bank'. I'd heard the explanation that it came from the French
> > 'banc' - based on the benches on which money deals were transacted. The
> > Italian for a bench is 'banco'. Plus the Italians had the Medici, the
> > Holy Roman Empire and a succession of 'firsts' in banking, way before
> > anyone else in Europe. (For a long time I used to think Lombard Bank
> > and a UK bank. Then the penny dropped.)
>
> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
> times but it was predominantly German.

Sure, and as the saying goes, all the time it existed
it was neither Holy, nor Roman,

Jan

On 24/02/24 04:22, Silvano wrote:
> Adam Funk hat am 23.02.2024 um 16:51 geschrieben:
>> On 2024-02-23, occam wrote:
>>
>>> On 22/02/2024 23:52, Peter Moylan wrote:
>>>> On 22/02/24 23:04, occam wrote:
>>>>> Listening to a BBC Radio program 'Word of mouth' - all about words
>>>>> and their etymology - I was taken aback by the history of the word
>>>>> 'company'.
>>>>>
>>>>> We tend to use the word mainly for an assembly of people who come
>>>>> together for common a purpose e.g. business or organised activity.
>>>>> Yes, the word is also used mean a guest ('we have company') but not
>>>>> so common.
>>>>>
>>>>> According to the BBC program the word derives from the Italian 'con
>>>>> pane' (with bread). It harks back to the middle ages when people
>>>>> would get together to discuss, while sharing bread. Not too
>>>>> dissimilar to the French word copain ('a close friend') which
>>>>> describes someone you would share bread with.
>>>>>
>>>>> Who knew our friendships owed so much to bread?
>>>>
>>>> Etymonline has a similar explanation, but says it comes from Latin via
>>>> French, rather than Italian. But perhaps the word companio comes from an
>>>> era where Italian and Latin were almost the same language.
>
> Companio? In which language? In Italian it's "compagno".

Companio was Late Latin, a development from earlier com panis.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 24/02/24 02:51, Adam Funk wrote:

> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
> times but it was predominantly German.

It wasn't holy, it wasn't Roman, and it wasn't an empire. But otherwise ...

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 24/02/24 09:18, J. J. Lodder wrote:
> Adam Funk <a24061@ducksburg.com> wrote:

>> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
>> times but it was predominantly German.
>
> Sure, and as the saying goes, all the time it existed
> it was neither Holy, nor Roman,

Rats! Preplagiarised again.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On Thursday or thereabouts, occam declared ...
> On 22/02/2024 22:54, Bebercito wrote:
>> All you knead is loaf.
>
> <bravo!>

Indeed!

-d

--
"I'm glad unicorns don't ever need upgrades."
"We are as up as it is possible to get graded!"
_Phoebe and Her Unicorn_, 2016.05.15

Just this Friday, Peter Moylan explained that ...
> On 24/02/24 02:51, Adam Funk wrote:
>
>> The Holy Roman Empire included some of what's now Italy at various
>> times but it was predominantly German.
>
> It wasn't holy, it wasn't Roman, and it wasn't an empire. But otherwise ...

Yes, but ...

It claimed Holy and Roman by virtue of investiture by the Pope ...
which happened once, by the 9th C version of a Zoom call.

/dps

--
And the Raiders and the Broncos have life now in the West. I thought
they were both nearly dead if not quite really most sincerely dead. --
Mike Salfino, fivethirtyeight.com