kaval

Where does the word "kaval" come from? It comes from Turkish kaval, passing through Bulgarian before entering English (1900s).

Kaval’s story begins in Turkish: kaval meant “shepherd's flute.” An open-ended wooden flute played by shepherds. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Bulgarian as kaval. Became central to Bulgarian folk music; its breathy sound is heard in the Rhodope mountains. It reached English by 1900s as kaval. Entered English through writing on Balkan and Turkish folk music. Today, kaval means an end-blown shepherd's flute of Turkey and the Balkans.

1. Stage 1 · Turkish · medieval kaval "shepherd's flute", an open-ended wooden flute played by shepherds.
2. Stage 2 · Bulgarian · 1600s kaval "folk flute", became central to Bulgarian folk music; its breathy sound is heard in the Rhodope mountains.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s kaval "shepherd's flute", entered English through writing on Balkan and Turkish folk music.