Omniglot News (07/01/24)

Omniglot News

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

New adapated script: Penobscot Syllabics (ᑆᕋᕚᓂᐤᑄᐤᓯᐤᔨᕕ), which a way, devised by Connor Flood, to use Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics to write Penobscot, an Eastern Abenaki language that was spoken in Maine in the USA until the 1990s and which is being revived.

There are new language pages about:

  • Muinane (Muìnánɨ), a Boran language spoken in southern Colombia.
  • Texistepec (Wää ‘oot), a Gulf Zoque language spoken in Veracruz State in southeastern Mexico.
  • Chimalapa Zoque (aŋpʉn), a Zoque language spoken in the State of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.
  • Sierra Popoluca (Nuntajɨyi), a Zoque language spoken the State of Veracruz in southeastern Mexico.

New numbers pages:

  • Muinane (Muìnánɨ), a Boran language spoken in southern Colombia.
  • Texistepec (Wää ‘oot), a Gulf Zoque language spoken in Veracruz State in southeastern Mexico.
  • Chimalapa Zoque (aŋpʉn), a Zoque language spoken in the State of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post entitled Lost in the Geese, in which we look into the French word oie (goose) and related words in other 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 southern France.

The mystery languages in last week’s language quiz were Bengali, Bassa, Cornish, Hausa and Luxembourgish.

The recordings come from https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/newyear.htm

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast we discover the Celtic roots of the word barnacle and related words in other languages.

On the Celtiadur blog there are new posts entitled Barnacles & Limpets and Dinner, and I made improvements to the post about words for Seas and related things.

Improved page: Wayuu language page.

In other news, I started studying Irish on Duolingo this week. I already know quite a bit as I started learning it about 20 years ago, and spent a week or two studying, speaking and singing Irish in Ireland every summer from 2005 to 2019. I’m planning to go back to Ireland this summer for the first time in 5 years, and I thought I should brush up my Irish.

I don’t know if I’ll start studying any new languages in 2024, or just continue to improve the ones I already know.

What are your language learning plans for 2024?

JapanesePod101.com

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

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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.

Celtic Pathways – Barnacle Geese

In this episode we discover the Celtic roots of words like barnacle.

Barnacles

The Proto-Celtic word *barinākos means barnacle or limpet It comes from the Proto-Celtic *barinā (rocky ground), and *-ākos (involved with, belonging to) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • bairneach [ˈbˠɑːɾˠn̠ʲəx] = limpet in Irish
  • bàirneach [baːr̪ˠn̪ʲəx] = barnacle or limpet in Scottish Gaelic
  • ba(a)rnagh = barnacle in Manx
  • brennigen = limpet in Welsh
  • brenigen = limpet in Cornish
  • brennigenn = barnacle or limpet in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots include bernache (barnacle) in French, barnacle in English, and barnacla (brent/brant goose) in Spanish [source].

The French word bernache was borrowed from Medieval Latin barnēca (limpet), from Gaulish *barinākā. The English word barnacle arrived via Middle English barnakille, and Old Northern French bernaque (barnacle), and the Spanish word barnacla was borrowed from English.

More about words for Barnacles & Limpets and related things in Celtic languages.

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

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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Omniglot News (31/12/23)

Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • Choni (ཅོ་ནེ་), a Tibetic language spoken Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the southeast of Gansu Province in western China.
  • Kenswei Nsei (Kənswey Nsey), a South Ring Grassfields language spoken in the North West Region of Cameroon.
  • Vendo (gháŋ vəŋóo), a South Ring Grassfields language spoken in the North West Region of Cameroon.

New phrases page: Oshiwambo, a Bantu language spoken in parts of Namibia and Angola.

New numbers pages:

  • Oshiwambo, a Bantu language spoken in parts of Namibia and Angola.
  • Adele (Gɩdɩrɛ), a Kwa language spoken in central Togo and southeastern Ghana.
  • Proto-Uralic, the reconstructed ancestor of the Uralic languages.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post about the word Lax, and there’s the usual Language Quiz, which features the phrase ‘Happy New Year’ in several different languages. See if you can guess what the languages are:

Here’s a clue: these recordings all come from Omniglot

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Udege (Удиэ), a Tungusic language spoken in the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia.

This week’s Adventure in Etymology looks at the meaning and origins of the word Lagniappe (an extra or unexpected gift or benefit).

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Justly Right, about words for just and right and related things.

Blwyddyn newydd dda / Gelukkig Nieuwjaar / Onnellista uutta vuotta / Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit / Gott nytt år / Happy New Year in many other languages!

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

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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.

JapanesePod101.com

Adventures in Etymology – Lagniappe

In this adventure, we’re looking into the origins of the word lagniappe.

Lagniappe image

A lagniappe [lænˈjæp] is:

  • An extra or unexpected gift or benefit, such as that given to customers when they purchase something (mainly used in Louisiana & Mississippi, USA, and in Trinidad and Tobago)

By the way, lagniappe is also written lagnappe, lanyap or lanyappe.

It comes from Cajun French lagniappe [la.ɲap] (tip, windfall, unexpected gift), from Spanish la ñapa (something extra given as a bonus; a gratuity), a variant of yapa, from Quechua yapay (addition, sum, to increase) [source]

Apparently in Andean markets it’s customary to ask for a yapa (a little extra) when buying things, and the sellers usually throw in something extra for their customers [source].

In Ireland an equivalent of a lagniappe is a a luck penny or tilly (an extra product given to a customer at no additional charge). The latter comes from the Irish word tuilleadh [ˈt̪ˠɪlʲə] (more) [source].

Do you know words with similar meanings in other languages?

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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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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.

Omnigot News (24/12/23)

Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • North Teke (Latege), a Bantu language spoken mainly in the southeast of Gabon, and also in the east of The Republic of the Congo.
  • Benga, a Bantu language spoken in southwestern Equatorial Guinea and northwestern Gabon.
  • Bamunka (Ŋgieməkɔʼkə), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken mainly in the North West Region of Cameroon.

New numerals page: Kaktovik (Iñupiaq) numerals, a numerical system for Iñupiaq created in the early 1990s by middle school students in Kaktovik, Alaska, guided by their teacher.

New numbers page: Sikkimese (འབྲས་ལྗོངས་སྐད་), a Southern Tibetic language spoken in Sikkim in northeastern India, and in eastern Nepal.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post about Decals, 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 the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Benga (bɛŋga), a Bantu language spoken in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The recording comes from YouTube

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast, entitled Badgered Brochures, we discover the possible Celtic origins of words like brochure and brooch and find a link to badgers.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post about words for Worms & Maggots, and I made improvements to the post about words for Old and related things.

I also made improvements to the Ojibwe phrases page.

🎅 Merry (Multilingual) Christmas 🎄 to all who celebrate it! ☃️

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

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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.

JapanesePod101.com

Celtic Pathways – Badgered Brochures

In this episode, we unfold the possible Celtic roots of the word brochure, and find out what it has to do with badgers.

Rotten Bran

The word brochure comes from French brochure (brocade, needlework, brochure, booklet), from brocher (to stitch, sew, brocade), from Old French brochier (to jab, prod), from broche (brooch, pin), from Vulgar Latin brocca, from broccus (pointed, sharp), possibly from Gaulish *brokkos (badger), from Proto-Celtic *brokkos (badger) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • broc [bˠɾˠɔk] = badger, or a dirty-faced or a short thick-set person in Irish
  • broc [brɔxg] = badger, or a grumpy/surly person in Scottish Gaelic
  • broc(k) = badger in Manx
  • broch [broːχ] = badger in Welsh
  • brogh [bɹoːx] = badger in Cornish
  • broc’h [ˈbʁoːx] = badger in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root include brooch and brock (male badger – northern English dialects) in English, brock (badger) in Scots, broche (brooch, spit, spike, peg, pin) in French, brocco (thorn, stick) in Italian, and broco (having long projecting horns; bad-tempered) in Galician [source].

More about words for Badgers and related things in Celtic languages.

Here’s a little tune I wrote a few years ago called The Unexpected Badger / Y Mochyn Daear Annisgwyl, inspired by an encounter with a badger in Glencolmcille in Donegal in the northwest of Ireland:

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

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

Omniglot News (17/12/23)

Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • Oku (əblam əbkwo), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken in the Bui Division of the North West Region of Cameroon.
  • Mmen (Mə̂nə̀), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken in the Menchum Division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon.

New adapted script: Elifbaja Arabo-Shqip (ئەلیفبایا ئارابوَ-شچیپ), a way to write Albanian with the Arabic script devised by A. Elbrens.

ەَ جیثەَ نْەرەَزیت لیندین تەَ لیرەَ ذە تەَ بارابارتەَ نەَ دینْیتەَت ذە نەَ تەَ درەیتا. ئاتا کانەَ ئارسوٌە ذە ندەَرجەجە ذە دوُهەت تەَ سیللەن ندای نْەَری تیەتریت مە فروٌمەَ وەللازەَریمی.

New adapted script: Surat Tana, a way to write Indonesian and Malay with the Maldivian Thaana script devised by Xavier Merica.

ސެމުއަ އޮރަޱް ޑިލަހިރްކަން މެރްޑެކަ ޑަން މެމްޕުޏައި މަރްޓަބަޓް ޑަން ހަކް-ހަކް ޔަޱް ސަމަ. މެރެކަ ޑިކަރުނިއައި އަކަލް ޑަން ހަޓި ނުރަނި ޑަން ހެންޑަކްޏަ ބެރްގައުލް ސަޓު ސަމަ ލައިމް ޑަލަމް ސެމަޱަޓް ޕެރްސައުޑަރައަން.



New phrases page: Wayuu (Wayuunaiki), an Arawakan language spoken in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia.

New numbers page: Mmen (Mə̂nə̀), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken in the Menchum Division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post about the word Goosnargh, which is a village in Lancashire in the northwest of England, and has other meanings, 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 Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Naskapi (ᓇᔅᑲᐱ‎), a Cree-Montagnais language spoken in northern Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology we’re examining the origins of the word Virus, because I seem to have picked up a bit of coronavirus 😷 this week, or possibly last week. I’m feeling better now, at the time of writing this, but not completely yet.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post about words for Pickaxe and related things in Celtic languages.

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

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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.

JapanesePod101.com

Adventures in Etymology – Virus

In this adventure, we’re examining the origins of the word virus, because I seem to have picked up a bit of coronavirus 😷 this week, or possibly last week. I’m feeling better now, at the time of writing this, but not completely yet.

Virus VIH

A virus is:

  • A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism.
  • A type of malware that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code into those programs.

It comes from Middle English virus (virus), from Latin vīrus (poison, venom, bitterness, sharpness, slime), from Proto-Italic *weizos (poison), from PIE *wisós (poison, slime) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include ιός [iˈos] (virus, [historical] poison, venom) in Greek, from which comes the English word iodine, and विष [ʋɪʃ] (poison, venom) in Hindi, bisa (poison) in Malay and ពិស (pɨh – poison, toxin, venom, infection, disease) in Khmer [source].

So like a virus, the word virus, and related words, have spread around the world to many different places and languages.

Incidentally, the Old English word for virus was wyrms/worms [wyrˠms], which also meant pus or corrupt matter*. Its origins are lost in the mists of time, perhaps consumed by a virus or worms. It’s probably unrelated to wyrm (worm, maggot, grub, snake, dragon 🐉) [source].

*You might notice that in the recording I say manner instead of matter. Just ignore it. It doesn’t matter 🤦

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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.

Omniglot News (10/12/23)

There are new language pages about:

  • Yanomamö (Yąnomamɨ), a Yanomam language spoken in southern Venezuela and northwestern Brazil.
  • Bafanji (Chufie’), a Southern Bantoid language spoken in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
  • Medumba (Mə̀dʉ̂mbɑ̀), a Southern Bantoid language spoken in the West Region of Cameroon.
  • Yasa (Iyasa), a Bantu language spoken mainly along the coasts of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

New adapted script: Mongŭlgariya, a way to write Bulgarian with the traditional Mongolian script devised by Xavier Merica.

ᠸᠰᠢᠴᠺᠢ ᡥᠣᠷᠠ ᠰᡄ ᠭᠠᡷᠳᠠᡐ ᠰᠸᠣᠪᠣᠳᠨᠢ ᠢ ᠷᠠᠸᠨᠢ ᠫᠣ ᠳᠣᠰᡐᠣᠶᠨᠰᡐᠸᠣ ᠢ ᠫᠷᠠᠸᠠ᠃ ᡐᡄ ᠰᠠ ᠨᠠᠳᠠᠷᡄᠨᠢ ᠰ ᠷᠠᠽᡇᠮ ᠢ ᠰᡠᠸᡄᠰᡐ ᠢ ᠰᠯᡄᠳᠸᠠ ᠳᠠ ᠰᡄ ᠣᡐᠨᠠᠰᠶᠠᡐ ᠫᠣᠮᡄᡷᠳᡇ ᠰᠢ ᠸ ᠳᡇᡥ ᠨᠠ ᠪᠷᠠᡐᠰᡐᠸᠣ᠃ title=

New numbers pages:

  • Bafanji (Chufie’), a Southern Bantoid language spoken in mainly in northwest Cameroon.
  • Coeur d’Alene (Snchitsu’umshtsn), a Salishan language spoken on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in the north of Idaho in the USA.

New Tower of Babel translation: Yanomamö

There’s a new Omniglot blog post entitled Shopping for Grasshoppers about the origins of the word grass (informer), 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 Canada.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Taiwanese (臺語 / Tâi-gí), a variety of Mǐn Nán (Southern Min – a Sinitic language) spoken in Taiwan.

In this week’s episode of the Celtic Pathways podcast, entitled Rotten Bran, we discover the rotten Celtic roots of the English word bran, and related words in other languages.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a post about words for Axes and Hatchets and related things in Celtic languages.

Improved pages: Adaizan numbers page, and Sango and West Jutlandic phrases pages.

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

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

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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Celtic Pathways – Rotten Bran

In this episode we discover the rotten Celtic roots of the English word bran, the Galician word braña (meadow, bog), and related words in other languages.

Rotten Bran

The Proto-Celtic word *bragnos means rotten. It comes from the PIE *bʰreHg- (to smell, have a strong odour) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • bréan [bʲɾʲiːa̯nˠ] = foul, putrid, rotten or to pollute in Irish
  • breun [brʲeːn] = foetid, putrid, disgusting or filthy in Scottish Gaelic
  • breinn = foetid, loathsome, nasty or offensive in Manx
  • braen [braːɨ̯n] = rotten, putrid, corrupt or mouldy in Welsh
  • breyn = putrid or rotten in Cornish
  • brein [ˈbrɛ̃jn] = rotten or uncultivated in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Gaulish brennos (rotten) and the Latin *brennos, include bran in English, berner (to trick, fool, hoodwink) in French [source].

The Asturian word braña (pasture, meadowland), and Galician word braña (mire, bog, marsh, moorland) possibly also come from the same Proto-Celtic root [source].

Words from the same PIE root include flair, fragrant, and bray in English, and брага [ˈbraɡə] (home brew) in Russian [source].

More about words for Rotten and related things in Celtic languages.

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

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