Mosquito or Miskito

[nibot]

What came first, Mosquito or Miskito? The Mosquito of course is the blood-sucking insect, and the American Heritage Dictionary assures me that the word originates from the romance languages, sharing an etymology with "musket." On the other hand I am told that Miskito is the indigenous name for the locals of a certain carribean coastline. I'm finding it hard to believe that these Indians came up for themselves with the exact same name as the Europeans had for the insects which happen to infest the exact same territory, but I guess stranger things have happened.

Comments

[furzicle.livejournal.com]

Of course Mosquitoes can be said to infest nearly EVERY part of the globe. So if the tribe came from Michigan or Finland or Nigeria, it still would seem appropriate.

[once-a-banana.livejournal.com]

Indeed. That and the difference in the first vowel. It's really quite a big distinction between the two words, in the grand scheme of things.