prize13-2, Exercise 1: The route of the name

Model answer (check the details):

The Sanskrit word chaturanga, "four limbs" or "four divisions", named the four parts of an Indian army. The game took the name. When it passed to Persia the name became chatrang in Middle Persian. After the Arab conquest of Persia it became shatranj in Arabic. Many modern languages' words for chess descend from this line, and English "chess" comes through French from the Persian word for king, shah.

The pieces of the Indian game reflected the army: the king, a counsellor, elephants, horses, chariots and foot-soldiers. The elephant, horse and chariot are the ancestors of the bishop, knight and rook; the foot-soldier became the pawn.

Care: the tracing of the name is the usual view, and some scholars hold it with reserve.