[Ads-l] gobo, burdock, elephant ears, gobo

[Stephen Goranson]

OED online has two senses for gobo, noun.
1. 1822- "The root of the greater burdock, Arctium lappa, as cultivated for
use in Japanese cookery (also more fully gobo root). Also: the plant
itself."
Etymology: "< Japanese gobō, gobou (1830 as Go-bo-oo, glossed ‘parsnip’, in
H. Medhurst Japanese-English Vocabulary, 1603 as gobǒ in Vocabulario da
Lingoa de Iapam) < gobau (1181 or earlier) < a Middle Chinese compound,
lit. ‘ox burdock’ (compare Chinese (Southern Min) giû-pông, (Cantonese) ngàuh
bong, (Mandarin) niúbàng)."

2. 1923- "1.
1923–
Cinematography, Television, and Photography. A dark plate, screen, or mask
used to shield a lens from light. Also (Theatre): a partial screen or mask
used in front of a spotlight to project a shape or image or to reduce the
light on stage."
Etymology [for sub 1 and 2]: "Origin uncertain; perhaps < gob- (in
go-between *n.*
<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/go-between_n?tab=etymology#2799338>) + ‑o
*suffix* <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/o_suffix?tab=etymology#34021725>."

[M-W also separates the two.]

Because gobo, burdock is also called Elephant ears--and has been before
Hollywood etc. movies existed--, for its leaves, I suggest the two senses
are closely related, not just similar spellings.

Stephen Goranson

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