Category: English

Omniglot News (16/11/25)

By Simon

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Omniglot News

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

  • Kgalagadi (SheKgalagadi), a Southern Bantu language spoken mainly in the Kgalagadi and Gantsi districts in southern Botswana.
  • Saluan (Bahasa Saluan), a Celebic language spoken in the east of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
  • Humburi Senni (humburi ciini / هُمْبُرِ ٺِينِ‎), a Southern Songhay language spoken mainly in southern Mali, and also in Burkina Faso.

New constructed script: Azkarthelian (Azkarthe’elith), an abjad created by Murray Callahan for his conlang of the same name.

Sample text in Saturnian (cursive)

New numbers pages:

  • Saluan (Bahasa Saluan), a Celebic language spoken in the east of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
  • Wintu (winthu:h), a Wintuan language that was spoken in northern California in the USA, and which is being revived.
  • Emilian-Romagnol (emiliân-rumagnol), a Romance language spoken mainly in northern Italy, and also in San Marino.
  • Föhr (Fering), a variety of North Frisian spoken on the island of Föhr in the German region of North Frisia.

New family words page: Föhr (Fering), a variety of North Frisian spoken on the island of Föhr in the German region of North Frisia.

On the Omniglot blog this week we look into idioms that mean Better Safe Than Sorry and similar things in various languages, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in Poland, Slovakia and Czechia.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Bouyei (Haausqyaix), a northern Tai-Kaidai language spoken mainly in southern China, and also in northern Vietnam.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we investigate the origins of the word Cardinal, and find out what it has to do with hinges and a Roman goddess.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled What? about words for what? which? who? where? and related things in Celtic languages.

I also made improvements to the North Frisian language page.

Language skills in just 10 minutes a day with Ling

For more Omniglot News, see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

JapanesePod101.com

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.




Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

Adventures in Etymology – Cardinals

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word cardinal.

Cardinal

As an adjective, cardinal [ˈkɑː.dɪ.nəl / ˈkɑɹdɪnəl] can mean:

  • Of fundamental importance, e.g. a cardinal rule.
  • Of or relating to the cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).
  • Describing a “natural” number used to indicate quantity (eg 1, 2, 3, 4, etc), as opposed to an ordinal number indicating relative position (1st, 2nd 3rd, etc).
  • Having a bright red colour (from the colour of a Catholic cardinal’s cassock).

Cardinals Applaud The New Pontiff

As an noun, cardinal can mean:

  • One of the officials appointed by the pope in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking only below the pope, equal to the patriarchs, constituting the special college which elects the pope.
  • Any of various species of New-World passerine songbird in the genus Cardinalis, so called because of their red plumage.
  • A deep red colour, somewhat less vivid than scarlet, the traditional colour of a Catholic cardinal’s cassock.

It comes from Middle French cardinal ([Catholic] cardinal), from Latin cardinālis (pertaining to a door hinge, principal, chief, cardinal), from cardō (hinge, socket, turning point, critical moment of action), possibly from Ancient Greek κράδη (krádē, twig, spray, swing, crane in the drama) or from PIE *(s)kerd- (to move, sway, swing, jump) [source].

Words from the same roots include cardinal (important, paramount, cardinal) and charière (hinge, joint, turning point) in French, cardine (hinge, pivot, support, cornerstone) in Italian, and corddyn (pivot, hinge) and possibly cerdded (to walk) in Welsh [source].

Cardea, the Roman goddess of hinges and families, also got her name from the same roots [source]. She kept evil spirits from crossing the threshold of houses and protected the family and children inside More information about Cardea.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.




Omniglot News (09/11/25)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

  • Jarawa, a Southern Bantoid language spoken in Bauchi State in northeastern Nigeria.
  • Cypriot Greek (κυπριακά), a variety of Greek spoken in Cyprus and by the Greek Cypriot diaspora.
  • Dendi, a Southern Songhay language spoken mainly in northern Benin, and also in Niger and Nigeria.

New numbers pages:

  • Nez Perce (Nimipuutímt), a Plateau Penutian language spoken in Idaho, Washington and Oregon in the USA.
  • Yakama (Ichishkíin), a Plateau Penutian language spoken on the Yakima Reservation in southern Washington State in the USA.
  • Eastern Pomo (Ba·csal), a Pomoan language spoken around Clear Lake in Lake County, California in the USA

New constructed script: iAlphabet, an alternative way to write English, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Croatian and Greek created by Azam Banoo Torabi.

Sample text in English in the iAlphabet

This week on the Omniglot blog we look into idioms meaning something that happens rarely in various languages in a post called Once in a Blue Moon, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken mainly in southern China.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Tuamotuan (Reʻo Paʻumotu), a Polynesian language spoken mainly in Tuamotu in French Polynesia.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, A Little Loitering, we find out what links the words loiter, little, lout and Luxembourg.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Tenacious Toughness about words for tough, tenacious, stiff and related things in Celtic languages.

I also made improvements to the Lips, Mouths & Throats Celtiadur post.

Language skills in just 10 minutes a day with Ling

For more Omniglot News, see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

JapanesePod101.com

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.




Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

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Adventures in Etymology – A Little Loitering

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we look into the origins of the word loiter.

Positively No Loitering

To loiter [ˈlɔɪtə(ɹ) / ˈlɔɪtɚ] can mean:

  • To stand about without any aim or purpose; to stand about idly.
  • To remain at a certain place instead of moving on.
  • (archaic) To stroll about without any aim or purpose, to ramble, to wander.

It comes from Middle English loitren (to idle away one’s time, to dawdle over one’s work, to linger or lurk idly in a place), from Middle Dutch loteren (to shake, wag, wobble), from Proto-Germanic *lūtaną (to bow down), from Proto-Indo-European *lewd- (to duck, crouch, cringe, become small) [source].

Words from the same roots include little, lout (a troublemaker, often violent) in English, luttel (little, few, mere) in Dutch, lude (lout, stoop) in Danish, луд (lud – crazy, mad, insane) in Bulgarian, liūdnas (sad, downhearted) in Lithuanian, and lut (to request, ask, plead, beg) in Albanian [source].

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Lëtzebuerg in Luxembourgish) also gets its name partly from the same roots, via Proto-Germanic *lūtilaz (bent, crouching, little) and *burgz (fortification, stronghold, city) [source].

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.

Language skills in just 10 minutes a day with Ling

Omniglot News (02/11/25)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

  • Ha (Igiha), a Bantu language spoken in the Kigoma Region in the northwest of Tanzania.
  • Fut (Bɨfɨɨ̀), an Eastern Grassfields language spoken in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
  • Maasina Fulfulde (مَاسِنَ ڢُلْڢُلْدٜ‎), a West Central Fula language spoken in Mali, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
  • Tadaksahak (Tadáksahak‎), a Northern Songhay language spoken in southern Mali and western Niger.

New numbers pages:

  • Fut (Bɨfɨɨ̀), an Eastern Grassfields language spoken in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
  • Bambalang (Chrambo), an Eastern Grassfields language spoken in Cameroon.
  • Tadaksahak (Tadáksahak‎), a Northern Songhay language spoken in southern Mali and western Niger.

New constructed script: Sleep Token Alphabet, a cypher for English that appears on album artwork and merch for the band Sleep Token.

Sample text in English in the Sleep Token Alphabet

This week on the Omniglot blog we find out whether the words (ham)burger, burgher and burglar are related in a post called Burgling Burg(h)ers, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in French Polynesia.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Makaa (mǝ́kaá), a Bantu language spoken in the East Region of Cameroon.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word Nemesis.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Sighing Groans about words for sigh, groan and related things in Celtic languages.

In other news, I started using the Ling App [affiliate link] to learn some more Cantonese this week. I’ve studied Cantonese before, and have forgotten a lot, but it’s now coming back to me. Ling is similar to Duolingo in the style of lessons, and offers courses in 60+ languages. You can get a free trial on the 1-year subscription, after which you have to pay. I may review it when I’ve spent more time on it, but so far I’m finding it useful and well-put together.

Language skills in just 10 minutes a day with Ling

For more Omniglot News, see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

JapanesePod101.com

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.




Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo

Adventures in Etymology – Nemesis

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word nemesis.

Nemesis

Nemesis [ˈnɛməsɪs] can mean:

  • An enemy, especially an archenemy.
  • A person or character who specifically brings about the downfall of another person or character, as an agent of that character’s fate or destiny, especially within a narrative.
  • The personification of the “fatal flaw” of a dramatic hero in the style of Greek tragedy.
    Other meanings are available

It comes from Νέμεσῐς (Némesĭs – the Greek goddess of retribution), from Ancient Greek νέμεσις (némesis – distribution of what is due, righteous assignment of anger, wrath at anything unjust), from νέμω (némō – to deal out, distribute, dispense, count, hold, possess, pasture flocks), from Proto-Hellenic *némō from Proto-Indo-European *nem(h₁)- (to distribute, give, take) [source].

Words from the same roots include ņemt (to take, seize) in Latvian, nehmen (to take, hold, grasp) in German, nimma (to understand) in Swedish, nimble and number in English, nimh (poison, venom) in Irish and possibly nant (stream, brook) in Welsh [source].

The English word numb also comes from the same roots. It was originally the past participle of nim (to take, seize, steal – obsolete / archaic), which comes from Middle English nimen (to (under)take, draw, enter), from Old English niman (to take), from Proto-West Germanic *neman (to take), from Proto-Germanic *nemaną (to take), from PIE *nem(h₁)- (to distribute, give, take) [source].

The word nimps (easy – northern England) also possibly comes from the same roots, as do overnim (to take away, rob) and nimmer (a petty thief) [source].

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.




Omniglot News (26/10/25)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

  • Bangolan (Bǎŋgulaŋ), an Eastern Grassfields language spoken in the Northwest Province of Cameroon.
  • Chopi (Cicopi), a Southern Bantu language spoken mainly in Inhambane Province in southern Mozambique.
  • Palembang (Baso Pelémbang / باسو ڤليمباڠ‎), a Malayic language spoken in Palembang in South Sumatra Province in Indonesia.

New constructed script: Neo Alfabet, a phonetic script created by François Toulot to write almost any language.

Sample texts in Neo Alfabet

New numbers pages:

  • Bangolan (Bǎŋgulaŋ), an Eastern Grassfields language spoken in the Northwest Province of Cameroon.
  • Arta, a Northern Luzon language spoken in northern Luzon in the Philippines.

New family words pages:

  • Gothic (𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌹𐍃𐌺𐌰), an East Germanic language spoken in parts of Crimea until the 17th century.
  • Alsatian (Ëlsässisch), a West Germanic language spoken mainly in Alsace in northeastern France.

This week on the Omniglot blog we find out when a forest is not a forest in a post called Sylvan Forests, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in southern Cameroon.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Yerakula (ஏறுகள), a Dravidian language spoken in Andhra Pradesh, in the southeast of India.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology we search the ether for the elemental origins of the word Quintessence.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Pithy Marrow about words for (bone) marrow, pith and related things in Celtic languages.

For more Omniglot News, see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

JapanesePod101.com

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.




Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo

Adventures in Etymology – Quintessence

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we search for the elemental origins of the word quintessence.

Quintessence

Quintessence [kwɪnˈtɛs.əns] is:

  • A thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something; epitome, prototype
  • A pure substance.
  • The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.
  • (alchemy) The fifth alchemical element, or essence, after earth, air, fire, and water that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. (A)ether.
  • (physics) A hypothetical form of dark energy postulated to explain observations of an accelerating universe.

It comes from Middle English quint-essence (quintessence, the fifth essence or element), from Old French quinte essence (quintessence), from Medieval Latin quinta essentia (fifth essence, aether), from Latin quīntus (fifth) and essentia (the being or essence of a thing) [source].

Words from the same roots include quintillion (a billion billion, a million quadrillion, or an unspecified very large number), quintuplex (a collection of 5 things, a building divided in 5 residences or businesses) and quintet (a group of 5 musicians, or any group with 5 members) in English, cinque (5) in Italian, cinco (5) in Spanish, cinc (5) in French [source], and also essence and essential in English, esence (essence, extract) in Czech, essence (petrol, gasoline, essence, essential oil) in French, and ésser (to be, exist, be real) in Catalan [source].

Incidentally, I was inspired to investigate the word quintessence after learning the Welsh word mêr, which means marrow, the best or essential part, quintessence, essence, soul, heart, centre, middle, depth, and (source of) strength.

It’s related to the Irish word smior (marrow, pith, essential part, quintessence), to the English word smear, and to the Swedish word smör (butter – as in smörgåsbord) [more details].

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.




Omniglot News (19/10/25)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New writing script: New Phonetic Character (上海土音字寫法), a script created by the Rev. Tarleton Perry Crawford in the 1850s to write Shanghainese.

Sample text in the New Phonetic Character

New constructed script: Evolved Alphabet, an experimental alphabet for a future form of English created by TheDankBoi69.

Sample text in the Evolved Alphabet

New language pages:

  • Kumam (Ikokolemu), a Southern Luo language spoken in the Eastern Region of Uganda.
  • Ki (tukí), a Mbam language spoken in the Central Region of Cameroon.
  • Gungu (Lugungu), a Northeast Bantu language spoken in the Western Region of Uganda.

New numbers pages:

  • Gungu (Lugungu), a Northeast Bantu language spoken in the Western Region of Uganda.
  • Saanich (SENĆOŦEN), a Salishan language spoken on Vancouver Island in Canada.

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post entitled String Phones in which we find links between the Swahili word simu (phone) with words for string, semaphore and related things, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in Andhra Pradesh in India.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Babine-Witsuwitʼen, a Northern Athabaskan language spoken in parts of British Columbia in Canada.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, Fact & Fiction, we’re uncovering some facts about the words fact and fiction.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Hairy Manes about words for mane, hair and related things in Celtic languages.

I forgot to mention in the recording, but I wrote a new song this week called When The Cat’s Away based on the saying ‘when the cat’s away, the mice will play’, and similar sayings in other languages.

For more Omniglot News, see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

JapanesePod101.com

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.




Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo

Adventure in Etymology – Fact & Fiction

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this Adventure in Etymology we’re uncovering some facts about the words fact and fiction.

Fact & Fiction

Meanings of fact [fækt] include:

  • Something actual as opposed to invented.
  • Something which is real.
  • Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation.
  • An objective consensus on a fundamental reality that has been agreed on by a substantial number of experts.

It comes from Old French fact, from Latin factum (fact, deed, act), from faciō (to do, make, construct), from Proto-Italic *fakjō (to make), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁k-yé-ti (to put, place), from *dʰeh₁- (to do, put, place) [source].

Words from the same roots include affair, benefit, credit, deed, factory, family, perfect, thesis and tick in English, fare (to do, make, create) in Italian, hacer (to do, make) in Spanish, Ort (place, location, town) in German, дело (delo – affair, work, deed) in Russian, dáil (betrothal, legislature, Irish parliament) in Irish, and dadl (argument, debate, controversy) in Welsh [source].

Meanings of fiction [ˈfɪk.ʃən] include:

  • A type of literature using invented or imaginative writing, instead of real facts, usually written as prose.
  • A verbal or written account that is not based on actual events (often intended to mislead)

It comes from Middle English ficcioun [ˈfiksjun] (an invention or fabrication), Old French ficcion (dissimulation, ruse, invention), from Latin fictiō (fashioning, forming, fiction), from fingō [ˈfɪŋ.ɡoː] (to shape, fashion, form), from Proto-Italic *fingō / θingō (to knead, form), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti, from *dʰeyǵʰ- (to knead, form, shape) [source].

Words from the same roots include dough, feign, feint, figment, figure and lady in English, Teig (dough, paste, pastry, batter) in German, देह (deh – body, person) in Hindi, and fingere (to pretend, feign, dissemble) in Italian [source].

Incidentally, in Old English one word for fiction, and also false news or a made-up story, was lēasspell [ˈlæ͜ɑːsˌspeɫ], which comes from lēas (false, vain, worthless, a lie, mistake) and spell (story, news, argument) [source].

Lēas lives on in the English dialect word lease (to tell lies, slander) [source], and spell in gospel and (to) spell [source].

The opposite was sōþspell [ˈsoːθˌspeɫ] (a true story, nonfiction, history), which comes from sōþ (true, real, truth) and spell (story, news, argument) [source].

The English word sooth (truth, augury, blandishment, reality, fact), as in soothsayer (one who attempts to predict the future using magic, intuition or intelligence) and forsooth (indeed, really, truthfully) comes from the same roots, as does sand (truth) in Danish, and sannur (true, authentic, real, genuine) in Icelandic [source].

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.