Radio Omniglot

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Meyah, a West Papuan language spoken in eastern Indonesia. Izon, an Ijaw language spoken in soutern Nigeria. Kakwa (Kãkwã), a Puniave-Maku language spoken mainly in southeastern Colombia. Bori, an Eastern Tani language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. New numbers page: Bori, […]

In this episode, we’re piecing together the Celtic roots of the word piece and related words. Piece comes from Middle English pece [ˈpɛːs(ə)] (piece, morsel, bit), from Anglo-Norman piece (piece, bit, part), from Late Latin petttia (piece, portion), from Gaulish *pettyā, from Proto-Celtic *kʷezdis (piece, portion) [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Nafanan, a Southern Senufo spoken mainly in Ghana, and also Ivory Coast. Papapana, a Northwest Solomonic language spoken on the east coast of Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea. Yelmek, a Trans-Fly-Bulaka River language spoken in the Merauke Regency in South Papua Province […]

In this Adventure in Etymology, we’re opening doors to find the origins of the word door. A door [dɔː / dɔɹ] is: A portal of entry into a building, room, or vehicle, typically consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. It may have a handle to help open and close, a latch to […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Helong, a West Timor language spoken in mainly in West Timor in the Kupang Regency of East Nusa Tenggara province in southern Indonesia. Phom, a Brahmaputran language spoken in Nagaland in the northeast of India. Sursurunga, a Western Oceanic language spoken in New […]

In this episode we look into the Celtic roots of words for heather in some Romance languages. The Proto-Celtic word *wroikos means heather. Its origins are uncertain, and it possibly comes from a non-Indo-European substrate source [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: fraoch [fˠɾˠeːx] = heather, heath, moor in Irish fraoch [frɯːx] […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Jju, an Atlantic Congo language spoken in Kaduna State in central Nigeria. Abua, a Central Delta language spoken in Rivers State in southern Nigeria. Banggai, a Celebic language spoken in Central Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. Beami, a Trans-New Guinea language spoken in the […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we’re going on a journey to find out what links the word journey with words for day, heaven and god. Meanings of journey [ˈdʒɜːni / ˈdʒɝni] include: A set amount of travelling, seen as a single unit; a discrete trip, a voyage. Any process or progression likened to a journey, […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Zeme, a Kuki-Chin-Naga language spoken in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland in the northeast of India. Borong, a Western Huon language spoken in Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea. Boko, an Eastern Mande language spoken in northern Benin and northern and western Nigeria. Vatlongos, […]

In this episode we look into the possble Celtic roots of words for witch in some Romance languages. The Proto-Celtic word *brixtā means spell, magical formula or incantation. It possibly comes from PIE *bʰerHǵ- (enlighten) [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: briocht = charm, spell, amulet in Irish lled(f)rith = magic, spell, […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Lakon, a Southern Oceanic language spoken on Gaua Island in Torba Province of Vanuatu. Maléku (malécu jaíca) – a Chibchan language spoken in northern Costa Rica. Kadiwéu (Ejiwajigi) – a Guaicuruan language spoken in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in southern […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we free ourselves by looking into the word escape. Escape [ɪˈskeɪp / əˈskeɪp] can mean: To get free; to free oneself. To avoid (any unpleasant person or thing); to elude, get away from To avoid capture; to get away with something, avoid punishment To elude the observation or notice of; […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Sheek Bakrii Saphaloo Script, which was created in 1956 by Sheikh Bakri Sapalo from Ethiopia, and is used to write Oromo, a Cushitic language spoken in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Egypt. New fictional script: Exception, which appears in the Netflix anime series “Exception”. […]

In this episode we find connections between Celtic bills and beaks, and chisels and gouges in other languages. A gouge [ɡaʊdʒ] is a chisel with a curved blade for cutting or scooping channels, grooves, or holes in wood, stone, etc. The word comes from Middle English gouge (gouge), from Old French gouge (gouge), from Late […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Bhaca (isiBhaca) – a Southern Bantu language spoken in Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. Ulumandaʼ – a South Sulawesi language spoken in West Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. Bambam– a South Sulawesi language spoken in West Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we look into the word landlubber, and related words in English and other languages. A landlubber [ˈlænd.lʌ.bə / ˈlænd.lʌ.bɚ] is: Someone unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship, especially a novice seaman. It comes from lubber (a big, clumsy, stupid fellow who lives in idleness), from Middle English lobre (lazy lout) […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Teanu – an Oceanic language spoken on Vanikoro Island in Temotu Province in the east of the Solomon Islands. Nanggu (Engdewu) – an Oceanic language spoken on the island of Nendö in Temotu province in the east of the Solomon […]

In this episode we discover the Celtic power behind some vigorous Romance and English words. The English word brio [ˈbɹiːoʊ] means vigour or vivacity. When used in musical directions, as con brio, it means with spirit, with vigour, vivciously [source]. It comes from Italian brio (vivacity, liveliness), from Spanish brío (vigour, mettle, zest, zeal), from […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Sa’a (Tɛgɛ) – a Southeast Solomonic language spoken on South Malaita and Ulawa islands in Makira Ulawa Province of the Solomon Islands. Talise (ẽberã) – a Southeast Solomonic language spoken in the south of Guadalcanal Island in Guadalcanal Province of […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we find out what the dickens a dinkus is, and what to do with an asterism. A dinkus is: A small drawing or artwork used for decoration in a magazine or periodical. A small ornament, usually a line of three asterisks (* * *), especially for the purpose of breaking […]