[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886) › c10.9258 # Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9258 Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9258 - **Language:** English ### [c10.9258](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9258) MARTINGALE, s. This is no specially Anglo-Indian word; our excuse for introducing it is the belief that it is of Arabic origin. Popular assumption, we believe, derives the name from a mythical Colonel Martingale. But the word seems to come to us from the French, in which language, besides the English use, Littré gives \*chauses à la martingale\* as meaning “culottes dont le pont était placé par derriere,” and this he strangely declares to be the true and original meaning of the word. His etymology, after Ménage, is from \*Martigues\* in Provence, where, it is alleged, breeches of this kind were worn. Skeat seems to accept these explanations. \[But see his \*Concise Dict.\*, where he inclines to the view given in this article, and adds: “I find Arab. \*rataka\* given by Richardson as a verbal root, whence \*ratak\*, going with a short quick step.”\] But there is a Span. word \*al-martaga\*, for a kind of bridle, which Urrea quoted by Dozy derives from verb Arab. \*rataka\*, “qui, à la IVe forme signifie ‘effecit ut brevibus assibus incederet.’” This is precisely the effect of a martingale. And we venture to say that probably the word bore its English meaning originally also in French and Spanish, and came from Arabic direct into the latter tongue. Dozy himself, we should add, is inclined to derive the Span. word from \*al-mirta’a\*, ‘a halter.’ - [Previous: c10.9257](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9257) - [Next: c10.9259](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9259) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9258](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9258) · Pramāṇa