Columbus’ Vegetables in Croatian and Russian Language

Abstract

Geographical origin of the most common vegetables, brought in Europe by Cristopher Columbus, is one of North, Central and South American decent. Theory of languages in contact confirms that word loans (botanical terms) are entering the language at the same time as an object itself (botanical species). Accordingly, terms for Columbus’ vegetables are word loans in Croatian and Russian language. We will compare mentioned terms in these two Slavic languages; answer, whether these loan words are calques and do these calques have Slavic route or are they adapted (and how – on phonological and morphological levels), we will determine the language that has been influencing on the process of making calques.