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How to traslate “coffee” into the different languages of the world? What links coffee to the “coffeemancy”?
Coffee in (almost) every language of the world
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Arabic
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qahwa
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Norwegian
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kafè
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Bengalese
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kophi
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Dutch
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koffie
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Burmese
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gra-pi
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Persian
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ghahve
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Danish
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kafè
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Polish
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kawa
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Cambodian
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gafè
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Portuguese
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cafè
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Cantonese
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gafe
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Romanian
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cafenea
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Chinese
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kafei
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Russian
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kòfie
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Singhalese
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kopi
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Serbian
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kafa
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Korean
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kopi
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Slovenian
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kavarna
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Hebrew
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bait hahva
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Spanish
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cafè
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Esperanto
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kafejo
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Swedish
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kaffe
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Finnish
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kahvi
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Swaili
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mkaawa
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Franch
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cafè
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Tagalog
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kapè
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Japanese
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kafee
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Tamil
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kaapi
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Greek
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kafenion
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German
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Kaffee
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Hindi
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kaafii
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Thai
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gahfaa
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Indonesian
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kedai copi
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Turkish
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hahve
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Italian
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caffè
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Hungarian
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kavè
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Lao
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gahfeh
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Vietnamese
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cà - phe
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Malaysian
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kopi
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Yiddish
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kavehois
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Cafeomancy (coffee cup reading) and fate
Cafeomancy is a divining practice that is based on scrutinizing coffee grounds, and was one of many such practices followed in the East many centuries ago. It came to Italy, and Florence in particular, in the late 1600s. People went to fortune tellers with a bag of roasted beans with which to prepare one or more cups of coffee, because it was customary to offer a cup to the clairvoyant as well.
Even into the Fifties, elderly practitioners could still be found in Southern Italy.
The divination was performed as follows: A Turkish coffee was prepared, by boiling very finely ground coffee in a small pan. The seer drank the watery portion and then overturned the cup onto a plate, twisting it over the surface a few times. The coffee sediments left in the cup and on the plate form figures that the seer would then interpret.
The dregs left in the cup refer to the present, while those on the plate describe the future.
The former must be interpreted by rotating the cup multiple times in the fingers; the plate must not be moved, because the significance of the figures lies in their position with respect to the seer.
Ideally, the plate is divided by a horizontal line called the "level of tastes"; the figures located below this line are less powerful, while those above are more powerful. These are the meanings of the most important figures.
AEROPLANE: unexpected departure.
ANCHOR: probable trip, or business relations with foreigners.
RING: a good success, an achieved agreement.
ARCH: bad news.
WHALE: professional success.
BOAT: on-coming visit.
BOTTLE: pleasant moments.
CANDLE: aids and support.
CAP: on-coming change.
CASSEROLE: on-coming real love.
KNIFE: obstacles.
HEART: someone will give you a love proof.
SCYTHE: love disillusions
FLOWER: realizing desire.
LEAVES: money in abundance
SCISSORS: argument.
LINE: quite day, if right; if curved, unforeseen event.
MOON: waxing moon: good news; waning moon: bad news.
APPLE: money success.
CLOUDS: hitches.
STAR: on-coming good changes.
TABLE: family meeting.
TRIANGLE: up vertex: success; down vertex failure.
EGG: great success.
Interesting notes
The invention of individual lumps of sugar dates to 1854, when they were created by the Parisian grocer Eugene Francois.
Other common flavorings for coffee include milk and cream, served in small containers on the side or directly in the cup.
The habit of placing a small square or piece of chocolate on the saucer comes from Switzerland and Belgium.
A small biscuit, often ginger or cinnamon flavored, is an Anglo-Saxon tradition.
On important occasions, masterfully prepared coffee must be presented with a tray of sweet tidbits, no larger than a mouthful, including small chocolates and pastries, often also covered in chocolate.
We wrap up this tasty combination of flavors and coffee with the Venetian custom of presenting a tray of coffee mixed with milk, a glass of aromatic wine, and raisins steeped in grappa.
