Russian Language Exported: BANYA
The Russian steam bath, whose name has entered languages around the world as a term for an entire culture of wellness.
Banya (English ‘banya’, German ‘Banja’, French ‘bania’, Spanish ‘banya’) is not just a word, but a whole Russian tradition featuring wet steam, birch brooms and contrast procedures. The word itself came into Russian from Latin (‘balneum’), yet, around the world, it refers specifically to the Russian concept. It differs from the Finnish sauna in its high humidity and from the Turkish ‘hammam’ in its higher temperature.