The Sanskrit DNA of the words earth and terra

The English language borrowed the word ‘terra’ (= earth) from Latin around the years 1605-1615 CE. It is pronounced as ter-uh. But nobody knows the origin of this Latin word. Interestingly, like most of the words in all European languages, terra also has Sanskrit DNA in it. It is a formed just by difference in pronouncing one of the Sanskrit words for earth dharA धरा !  

dharA  धरा > TarA  टरा > tera टेरा > terra टेरह्

The Sanskrit word dharA धरा has its origin in the root dhRi धृ which means to hold, to handle, to support, to nurture.  When Europe borrowed dhaRA  धरा from Sanskrit, some population group in ancient past seems to have made a blunder by pronouncing a reverse sound image of the Sanskrit word dhaRA  धरा as ardha अर्ध. This blunder led to the making of its German cognate Erde अर्डे, Old English eorthe ओर्थे; Middle English erthe अर्थे, Modern English earth अर्थ (first recorded before 950 CE), Dutch aarde आर्डे, Gothic airtha ऐर्थ etc.

Another change in pronouncing a अ to ya य to ja ज led to the making of the Old Norse jǫrth जोर्थ (arth अर्थ > yarth यर्थ > jarth जर्थ > jorth जोर्थ)   and Danish jord जोर्ड .  

-- Rajendra Gupta