Afleveringen
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Tai Yo (ไทญ้อ), a Southwestern Tai language spoken in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Vili (Civili), a Bantu language spoken mainly in the Republic of the Congo, and also in Gabon and Angola. New adapted script: Vietnamese Arabic Script (چىٰٖ جاوي تيٛەٖڭ ۏیٔەٖط), a […]
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In this Adventure in Etymology, we find out what links the words theory and theatre. Theory [ˈθɪə.ɹi / ˈθɪ.ɹi] has a variety of meanings, including: A description of an event or system that is considered to be accurate. (sciences) A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observed facts or phenomena and correctly predicts […]
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Yaka (Yiyáká), a Bantu language spoken mainly in Kwango Province in the southwest of the DRC. Yansi (kiBeembe), a Bantu language spoken in the south of the Republic of the Congo. Shatt (Caning), an Eastern Sudanic language spoken in South Kordofan Province in […]
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In this episode we unravel the Celtic roots of words for wheel, rim and related things in French, Spanish and other languages. The Proto-Celtic word *kambitā means rim and comes from Proto-Celtic *kambos (twisted, crooked, bent), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱh₂embos (crooked), possibly from *(s)ḱamb- (bent, crooked) [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: camedd […]
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Bembe (kiBeembe), a Bantu language spoken in the south of the Republic of the Congo. Kwambi (Oshikwambi), a Southwest Bantu language spoken mainly in northern Namibia. Luyana (Esiluyana), a Bantu language spoken in mainly the Western Province of Zambia. Yeyi (Shiyeyi), a Bantu […]
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In this Adventure in Etymology, we’re risking ridicule and getting rather ridiculously ridiculous. Ridiculous [ɹɪˈdɪkjələs/ɹɪˈdɪkjʊləs] means deserving or ridicule, foolish, absurd, astonishing, extreme or unbelievable. It comes from Latin rīdiculus [riːˈd̪ɪkʊɫ̪ʊs̠] (laughable, funny, amusing, silly, absurd, ridiculous), from rīdeō (to laugh (at), ridicule, mock), the origins of which are not known [source]. Words from the […]
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Hurûf-ı munfasıla, a script based on the Ottoman Turkish alphabet with the letters written separately and all the vowels written devised by Enver Pasha in 1914. New adapted script: Hengul (헨규얘 아얘푸벹), an alternative way to write English with the Korean Hangeul alphabet […]
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In this episode we discover the flatulent Celtic roots of words for to bray and related things in English, French and other languages. The Proto-Celtic word *bragyeti means to fart or flatulate and comes from Proto-Celtic *braxsman (fart), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreHg- (to stink, smell, have a strong odour) [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic […]
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Tai Noi, a script used to write Lao and Isan in Laos and northern Thailand. New constructed system: Aramikatavah (ארמיכתבה), an alternative way to write Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic created by Mina McVinnie. New language pages: Degema (Dẹgẹma), an Edoid language spoken in […]
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Haywire is wire used to bind bales of hay, and can also refer to something that’s roughly-made, erratic or uncontrollable. How are these meanings related? Let’s find out in this Adventure in Etymology. As a noun, haywire [ˈheɪ.waɪ.ə(ɹ) / ˈheɪ.waɪɚ] means wire used for binding bales of hay, straw or grass, and is also known […]
