Bark – Word Commentary

BARK-This word commentary brings together THUNDER, LIGHTNING, BOAT, SAP, TREE, and NURSE. The last part of this commentary examines the female Islamic dress known as a BURKA. 

There are three sets of definitions for BARK. The first BARK is derived from ME and ON borkr, MLowG borke, Swed bark meaning rind, and means: the outside covering of the stems, roots, trunks, and branches of trees and other woody plants; this covering used in tanning and dyeing; to remove the bark or girdle a tree; to scrape the skin off, especially on one’s shin; and a synonym is SKIN. BARK is the source of some pharmaceuticals and can be used to NURSE one back to good health. BARK, as the SKIN of the TREE, contains the vital juices, the SAP, which is the lifeblood. The BARK contains the “sap of life”. When the BARK is severely cut the energy is “SAPPED” from the tree. CASCARA, from Sp casca meaning husk, or SHELL, and cascar meaning CASK, is a small tree furnishing CASCARA SAGRADA, a type of laxative. In Sp this literally means SACRED BARK. A CASK is a barrel for holding liquids.  CASK is derived from: ME caske; Fr casque; Sp casco meaning potsherd, cask, helmet from cascar meaning to break; VL quassicare meaning to break; and L quassare meaning to shake, shatter, and break. There may also be a link with L cassus meaning empty. LL cassare means to destroy. A CASKET (NormFr casse, a CASE) is a box or chest that holds either valuables like jewels, or is a coffin that holds a deceased person. A CASK, CASKET, or COFFIN is like a SHELL. COFFIN is derived from: OFr coffin meaning a basket or coffer; L cophinus; and Grk kophinos meaning basket. COFFIN refers to the case or box in which a dead person is buried, or the horny part of a horse’s hoof. COFFER refers to: a chest or strongbox that hold valuables; a treasury; funds; a decorative sunken panel as in a vault, dome, or ceiling; a cofferdam; and a lock in a canal that controls the flow of water. 

The second BARK is derived from: ME berken; OE beorcan; ON berkja, and IE bherg meaning to growl or bark.  It is defined as the characteristic sharp, abrupt cry of a dog; to make a sound like a dog; to speak or shout in a sharp manner; to snap; to cough in a chronic hack; and to advertise by shouting out in an animated way. OE BARKI means WINDPIPE (trachea).  A matching colloquialism is, “to bark up the wrong tree”, which means to misdirect one’s efforts or energy so the effort is not productive. BARK is the voice of the dog. A dog’s bark can inform or even warn a person of some event, and offer protection. The position of the dog star, Sirius (Sepet) in the constellation Canis Major, was a major indicator of the annual flooding of the Nile River for the ancient Egyptians. Canis means dog. Dog days are the hot and uncomfortable days in July and August because the Dog Star rises and sets with the sun.

The third BARK is derived from: ME barke; Port and ML barca; OFr and LL barque meaning small boat and linked to BARGE. This BARK is a small sailing boat or a large sailing vessel with three masts.  The IE bher, means to carry, ferry, or bear and linked to words like transfer, fertile, burden, and birth. IE bhergh, yields BURY, a high hill or fort, and to hide and protect. All these roots lead to the very purpose of the Ancient Egyptian BARQUE, which held or covered the body of the deceased pharoah in order to protect and transport to the afterlife.

BARGE is derived from: ME, OFr, and ML barga; LL barca and barica; Grk baris meaning an Egyptian boat; Coptic bari meaning small boat. BARGE is defined as: a large flat bottomed boat designed to carry heavy loads on river, canals, and lakes; a large pleasure boat; to move in a slow and clumsy manner; to come or go in a rude, abrupt, or awkward way; and to collide or run into in a heavy, clumsy way. ME BERGE means a sloping roof and is associated with BARGE COUPLE, which is either of the pair of outside rafters forming the projection of a gabled roof. A BARGE COURSE is the overhang of a projecting gable roof. ROOF can imply the sky, top of the world, or the solid covering of a house. A ROOF also implies RAFTERS with ON raptr meaning log and IE base REP yielding rape, raven, ravish, repent, reptile, stake, beam, and raft. RAFTER is closely linked to RAFT and RAPT, which can mean to carry away in body or spirit.

Ar BARQ means lightning, and light is nûr.  THUNDER in Heb kōl meaning voice, sound, or noise. A NURSE is a nourisher. LIGHTNING nourishes the earth. A NURSE is a FEEDER.  Ar nûr, meaning to turn on the light, may be related. In Heb the word for light bulb is nura´. The IE root of NURSE is (s)nau meaning to let flow and swim. A FEEDER can be a conductor supplying energy to a center from which the energy is distributed into other channels. 

Other words for BARK are L CORTEX (related to CORTISONE), Grk phellos, It scorza, and Ger and Grk phloos or phloios also meaning PHLOEM.  PHLOEM is the vascular network of trees and plants that carries and distributes the SAP.

PARKA seems to be related this commentary. PARKA is a Russian word referring to a skin shirt or fur coat. Definitions are a hip-length pullover fur garment with a hood, worn in the arctic regions, and a hooded jacket like this, often with fleece or pile lining. PARKAS were historically made out of seal skin. The seal has a dog like face and BARKS like a dog. The seal skin is akin to the BARK of a tree. Seal skin boats were used in the arctic regions for transportation and hunting. PARKA rhymes with BARKER. BARKER is defined as: a person who removes bark from a tree or log; an animal, person, or thing that makes a barking sound; and a person in front of a side show, theater, or store, who tries to attract customers by loud animated talking.

BARK, when the B is dropped, yields ARK. Famous ARKS are ARK of the Covenant and Noah’s ARK, both Old Testament vessels. ARK is derived from: OE earc; LL(Ec) arca; Grk arkein; L arca meaning a box; L arcere meaning to shut up or enclose; exarcere meaning exercise; and IE base areq meaning  to protect. ARK is defined as: a chest or coffer; an enclosure in a synagogue or temple for scrolls of the torah; a place or thing furnishing protection; refuge; a flat bottomed boat formerly used on rivers.

The full body cloak and head covering for many Islamic women is called a BURKA (also spelled BURKHA, BURQA, or BOURKHA). This covering hides what is inside or underneath, and protects from external or outside forces according to Islamic held beliefs. BURKAS are usually black cloth. HIJAB is the head scarf covering the hair of the head. This probably refers to the fact that by wearing clothing that covers the body, the eyes of the unrelated male cannot symbolically intrude, thus preventing rape of a virgin or the possessing of a married woman. The unclothed or exposed woman is only for the eyes of the HUSBAND, with a basic meaning of being house (husband) bound.  In this case the woman by wearing this dress is by one interpretation in agreement with the Koran (Quaran) and the particular culture in which she lives.

In summary the common thread of all the meanings of BARK and words related to BARK in the commentary is covering as protection of vital supports for continuation of life.