Caput

[Roi Marphille]

Hey,
I'm wondering about the word "caput". Latin for "head"
Many use it nowadays to refer something or someone dead.
Castilian-Spanish: "mi ordenador está caput" meaning my computer is dead or in a really bad condition.
I heard this expression in other languages and in English in a movie..
Is it in use in every language?
Is it a kind of International known-word?

cheers

Roi

[Whodunit]

I daresay that the German word "kaputt" is the original one and every language borrowed it. I don't know of an Old German word for that, but I think it was something like that as well. Even in English people use "kaput" for things that are broken, lik in German.

The Latin word "caput" is still in use as "Kapuze" in German, which means "hood".

[Jana337]

Like in German, we use "kaput" for broken things. The word is of French origin according to the Duden: frz. (Kartenspiel) être/faire capot= ohne Stich sein

Jana

[Outsider]

See what the Online Etymology Dictionary has to say about 'kaput/caput'.

[Moni]

hi guys, in poland we use this word too but for dead people, not things, and we borrowed it from german. so when we say "he's kaput" we mean "he's dead"

[elroy]

As far as I know, Arabic doesn't use this word. We don't even have a "p."

[alby]

we use word "kaput" for situations, to "finish" something, or be "done" with something , sometimes we use it when someone die's, but in croatia it's not very nice term to say he's caput.

[yasemin]

in turkish, it is kaput and means 1. greatcoat, but it is not used very often 2. motor hood 3. condom (that's really vulgar though!)

and a dictionary says that it means also broken, but i have never ever heard that usage

[nigelofk]

Nice thread.

It sounds like all the terms are originally derived from 'capita' for head.

The Capuchin Monks (wherefrom is named the monkey) wear a hooded garment, whence Kapuze auf Deutsch. The Stefandom is the main cathedral in Vienna, but all the Hapsburgs are interred at the more modest Kapuziner Kirche.

The Serbs call their greatcoat "kaput" as well, maybe from Turkish, but it's just as likely from the west, since it probably describes a coat that covers the head as well. Form follows function, as does the name.

The origin of "chief/chef" is likewise capita. Brought into English via a Norman (French) filter, both the initial and final consonants were affricated -- k => ch/sh and p => f. (cf. castle vs. chateau.)

[Ilmo]

Finnish:
"Kaput" is colloquial in Finnish and means both broken and dead.
Used to be more common around World War II.

[zaby]

Originally Posted by Ilmo

Finnish:
"Kaput" is colloquial in Finnish and means both broken and dead.
Used to be more common around World War II.

It's a colloquial word to say broken/dead in French too.
Edit: i'm wondering if we write it "kaput", "caput" or "capout"

Originally Posted by Outsider

See what the Online Etymology Dictionary has to say about 'kaput/caput'.

The expressions "faire capot" or "être capot" are still used in French card games

[MindStorm]

In russian you can also use caput to say something is broken or someone is dead (though it isnt wide spread, but i think everyone can understand it), but nowdays it is being used mostly in witty manner. But this word is mostly associated with the name of Adolph Hitler. It's always said "hitler kaput" in old movies and stuff

[Zoltan]

<<The expressions "faire capot" or "être capot" are still used in French card games>>

That made me think. It has nothing to do with being finished but in french, "capoter" is a collequial term for going crazy, or freaking out.

As in : "J'ai vu ma teste et je me suis capoter!"

I would agree that the original kaputt is from german though

[Outsider]

According to the link above, the German word is of French origin.

[Lancel0t]

Originally Posted by Roi Marphille

Hey,
I'm wondering about the word "caput". Latin for "head"
Many use it nowadays to refer something or someone dead.
Castilian-Spanish: "mi ordenador está caput" meaning my computer is dead or in a really bad condition.
I heard this expression in other languages and in English in a movie..
Is it in use in every language?
Is it a kind of International known-word?

cheers

Roi

Unfortunately, we don't use that word in our country. In Filipino, we will use the word "patay" if something/someone is dead or something is turned-off, if it is broken it is "sira/wasak"

[Cracker Jack]

Originally Posted by Whodunit

I daresay that the German word "kaputt" is the original one and every language borrowed it. I don't know of an Old German word for that, but I think it was something like that as well. Even in English people use "kaput" for things that are broken, lik in German.

The Latin word "caput" is still in use as "Kapuze" in German, which means "hood".

Whod I understand that ''kaputt'' is a German adjective to mean broken or non-functional. So, is it possible to say - Mein Computer ist kaputt.

However, if a telephone does not have a dial tone can it also be said - Das Telefon ist kaputt.

[Nizo]

In Esperanto, kaputa means not functioning, broken, fallen apart, or ruined. From the German.

[Lopes]

In Dutch 'kapot' has the same meaning as the German 'kaputt'

[suslik]

In Estonian we say kaputt, when something is broken or missing, or somebody is dead.

[deine]

In Lithuania we say kaput. We use it when something is boken and not works any more or when someone has a serious problem and does not know how to solve it or when somebody is dead But we usually do not use this word to say that somebody is dead because it is impolite and quite hurting to say that.