Иногда у меня случаются лингвистические припадки, не обращайте внимания.
час ночи почти, я развлекаюсь тем, что ищу разные варианты этимологии слова "зомби"
1871, of W. African origin (cf. Kikongo zumbi "fetish;" Kimbundu nzambi "god"), originally the name of a snake god, later with meaning "reanimated corpse" in voodoo cult. But perhaps also from Louisiana creole word meaning "phantom, ghost," from Sp. sombra "shade, ghost." Sense "slow-witted person" is recorded from 1936. etymonline.com
There are several possible etymologies of the word zombie. One of the possible origins is jumbie, which comes from the Carribean term for ghost. Another possible origin is the word nzambi which in Kongo means ‘spirit of a dead person’. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word zombie originates from the word zonbi, used in the Louisiana Creole or the Haitian Creole. According to the Creole culture, a zonbi represents a person who died and was then brought to life without speech or free will. monstrous.com
From Bantu. Compare Kikongo zumbi (fetish), Kimbundu nzambi (god), and Caribbean folklore's jumbee (a spirit or demon). May also be related to sombra. wiktionary.org
Оттуда же, кстати, совершенно отличное:
— An information worker who has signed a nondisclosure agreement. (Synonym: intellectual prostitute)
— A cocktail of rum and fruit juices.
— (Canada, historical, derogatory) Nickname for a conscripted member of the Canadian military during World War II who was assigned to home defence rather than to combat in Europe.
— (philosophy) A hypothetical person who lacks self awareness.
Кроме того, в английском есть такое расхожее выражение как zombie banks. Из Нью Йорк Таймз: "a bank with negative assets that survives thanks to government support".
сссука, один раз лингвист - навсегда лингвист