NAME.
THE first positive mention of Playing-cards is in a manuscript by Nicholas de Covellezzo, which is preserved among the Archives of Viterbo. “In 1379,” says the Chronicler, “playing-cards were introduced in Viterbo. These came from the country of the Saracens, and were calledNaïb.” The Italians have for centuries called their cardsNaibi, and in Spain they are still namedNaypes.
M. la Croix remarks that in Arabic the wordNaïbsignifies “captain,” and declares that this name proves the military origin of Cards, and points to their connection with Chess.
Mr. Taylor, in his work on Playing-cards, quotes from the above-mentioned manuscript by Nicholas de Covellezzo, which records the introduction of cards into Italy, and says: “The use of the termNaïbin Italy for cards is one of the strongest proofs of their introduction into Europe by the gypsies. To this day they are called inSpainNaypes, which is clearly a corruption of the ArabicNabi, ‘a prophet;’ and we have therefore the significant fact that cards have been and are still called in Spain by a title which fortune-tellers (gypsies, in fact) might easily be supposed to claim.”
Mr. Singer quotes from various authorities to show the derivation of the wordNaipes, and says that “it may mean ‘flat’ or ‘even,’” which would describe a card; and also that the Hebrew wordNaibesdenotes “sorcery, fortune-telling, prediction,” etc.
Mr. Chatto derives the same word from one found in Hindostanee,Na-eeborNaib, which signifies a viceroy, lieutenant, or deputy, and says: “As the game of Chess was known in Hindostan by the name of ‘The Four Kings,’ if cards were suggested by Chess and invented in the same country, the supposition that they might have been calledChatier-Nawaub, ‘The Four Viceroys,’ as the cognate game of Chess was called ‘The Four Kings,’ and that this name subsequently became changed intoChartati-Naib, is at least as probable as the derivation ofNaipesfromN. P., the initials of Nicolas Pepin, their supposedinventor;” which derivation is gravely given by another author.
It is only in Italy that the old name ofNaipesorNaibiis retained. In Portugal the word has become corrupted intoNaipe; in Spain,NaypesorNaipes. In France cards are calledCartes à jouer; and a pack is named aJeu. In Germany they are termedBriefeandKartenandSpielkarten. In Holland the name isKaartenorSpeelkaarten; in Denmark,KortorSpelkort; and in Russia,Kartu. The termAlea, which was frequently employed in ancient ordinances and laws, seems to cover all games of chance, and is not used to signify playing-cards alone. The derivation of the English wordcardfrom the Frenchcarteis too plain to require further comment.