Tripalium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A tripalium is a three-staked instrument of torture. The subject of the torture would be tied to the tripalium and burnt with fire. The words "travail" and "travel" have their roots in this word,^[1] as do the cognate Spanish verb trabajar (to work), Portuguese verb trabalhar and French verb travailler (to work).^[2][3]

The structure and original use of the tripalium is far from clear; many attempts to explain it appear to be based on nothing more than the word's literal meaning of "three stakes".^[4]

[edit] Other use

A tripalium was a horse-restraint tool used to restrain a horse while shoeing it.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

1. ^ Winchester, Simon: The Best Travelers' Tales 2004
2. ^ trabajar. DICCIONARIO DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA - Vigésima segunda edición. REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA.
3. ^ J. Cary Davis (March 1977). ""Trabaculu > Trabajo" the Case for and against". Hispania 60 (1): 105-108. doi:10.2307/340402. 
4. ^ Mark Liberman. "Annals of Exoticism", Language Log, July 10, 2007.