Editing Karst (section)

== Etymology ==
[[File:Carbonate-outcrops world.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Global distribution of major outcrops of carbonate rocks (mainly [[limestone]], except [[evaporite]]s)]]
The English word ''karst'' was borrowed from [[German language|German]] {{lang|de|Karst}} in the late 19th century,<ref>''Shorter Oxford English Dictionary'' 2002. Vol. 1, A–M. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 1481.</ref> which entered German usage much earlier,<ref>{{lang|de|[[Elmar Seebold|Seebold, Elmar]]. 1999. ''Kluge Etymologisches Wörterbuch der Deutschen Sprache''|italic=unset}}, 23rd edition. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, p. 429.</ref> to describe a number of geological, geomorphological, and hydrological features found within the [[Range (geographic)|range]] of the [[Dinaric Alps]], stretching from the northeastern corner of [[Italy]] above the city of [[Trieste]], across the [[Balkan peninsula]] along the coast of the eastern [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] to [[Kosovo]] and [[North Macedonia]], where the [[massif]] of the [[Šar Mountains]] begins. The karst zone is at the northwesternmost section, described in early topographical research as a [[Karst Plateau (Italy-Slovenia)|plateau]] between Italy and [[Slovenia]]. Languages preserving this form include {{langx|it|Carso}}, {{langx|de|Karst}}, and {{langx|sq|karsti}}.

In the local [[South Slavic languages]], all variations of the word are derived from a Romanized [[Illyrian language|Illyrian]] base (yielding {{langx|la|carsus}}, {{langx|dlm|carsus}}), later [[metathesis (linguistics)|metathesized]] from the reconstructed form {{lang|sla|*korsъ|italic=yes}} into forms such as {{langx|sl|kras}}<ref>{{cite book |author1=Jernej Pavšič |title=Geološki terminološki slovar |date=2006 |publisher=Založba ZRC |isbn=978-961-6568-84-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPuPIYpasCUC&q=kras+kra%C5%A1ka+kraska&pg=PA142 |page=142 |access-date=15 June 2020 |language=sl}}</ref> and {{langx|sh|krš}}, {{lang|sh|kras}},<ref>{{cite web |last1=Šegota |first1=Tomislav |title=Krš ili kras? Krš! - Geografija.hr |url=http://www.geografija.hr/teme/krs-ili-kras-krs/ |website=Geografija.hr |access-date=30 October 2018 |language=hr-HR |date=25 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103131235/http://www.geografija.hr/teme/krs-ili-kras-krs/ |archive-date=3 November 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Matas |first1=Mate |title=Veliki krš oko krša u jeziku - Geografija.hr |url=http://www.geografija.hr/hrvatska/veliki-krs-oko-krsa-u-jeziku/ |website=Geografija.hr |access-date=30 October 2018 |language=hr-HR |date=7 June 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Roglić |first1=Josip |title=Krš Jugoslavije |date=1974 |publisher=JAZU Jugoslovenska Akademija Znanosti i Umjetnosti |location=Zagreb |page=29 |edition=Volume 9/1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=karst|title=karst &#124; Search Online Etymology Dictionary|website=www.etymonline.com|access-date=Dec 31, 2019}}</ref> first attested in the 18th century, and the adjective form {{lang|sl|kraški}} in the 16th century.<ref name="Snoj">{{cite book |last1=Snoj |first1=Marko |title=Slovenski etimološki slovar |date=2003 |publisher=Modrijan |location=Ljubljana |page=318}}</ref> As a proper noun, the Slovene form {{lang|sl|Grast}} was first attested in 1177.<ref name="Bezlaj">Bezlaj, France (ed.). 1982. {{lang|sl|Etimološki slovar slovenskega jezika|italic=yes}}, vol. 2, K–O. Ljubljana: SAZU, p. 82.</ref>

Ultimately, the word is of [[Mediterranean]] origin. It has also been suggested that the word may derive from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root ''{{PIE|karra-}}'' 'rock'.<ref>Gams, I., {{lang|sl|Kras v Sloveniji&nbsp;— v prostoru in casu|italic=yes}} (Karst in Slovenia in space and time), 2003, {{ISBN|961-6500-46-5}}.</ref> The name may also be connected to the [[Oronym (toponymy)|oronym]] ''Kar(u)sádios oros'' cited by [[Ptolemy]], and perhaps also to Latin {{lang|la|Carusardius}}.<ref name="Snoj" /><ref name="Bezlaj" />