The Spanish word 'talla' meaning 'carving' or 'size' traces back to the Latin word 'talea', which meant 'stake', 'cutting', or 'shoot' (as in a plant cutting). This evolved into the Vulgar Latin verb 'taleare' meaning 'to cut' or 'to prune'. From there, it developed into the Spanish verb 'tallar' meaning 'to carve' or 'to cut', and finally gave us the noun 'talla', which refers to a carving or size (as in the dimensions of something that has been cut or carved to specific measurements).

This etymology shows how a word for a cut piece of wood or plant evolved into a broader term for carving and measuring size, reflecting how early measurements and sculptures were often made through the process of cutting and carving materials.

Several common Spanish words share this root with 'talla', including the verb 'tallar' (to carve), 'tallado' (carved), and 'entallado' (fitted, carved). The word 'taller', meaning 'workshop', is also related, as it originally referred to a place where carving and cutting work was done.

While English doesn't have many direct cognates from this Latin root, we do see it in some technical terms. The word 'tailor' (someone who cuts and fits clothes) comes from the same Latin root 'talea'. The word 'detail' also comes from this root, originally meaning 'to cut from' in French (de + tailler), which explains why details are small pieces of information 'cut' from a larger whole.