Category: Dutch (Nederlands)

Adventures in Etymology – Fishing for Fish

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we fish for the origins of the word fish.

#fish

Fish [fɪʃ] can refer to:

  • A typically cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water, moving with the help of fins and breathing with gills.
  • Any animal (or any vertebrate) that lives exclusively in water.
  • As a verb it can mean: To hunt fish or other aquatic animals in a body of water, or to collect coral or pearls from the bottom of the sea.

Other meanings are available, and some would say there’s no such thing as a fish.

It comes from Middle English fisch [fiʃ] (fish, and other animals that live in water), from Old English fisċ / fix / ᚠᛁᛋᚳ [fiʃ / fisk] (fish), from Proto-West Germanic *fisk, from Proto-Germanic *fiskaz [ˈɸis.kɑz] (fish), from Proto-Indo-European *peysk- (fish) [source].

Words from the same PIE root include vis (fish) in Dutch, fisk (fish, Pisces) in Swedish, peixe (fish) in Portuguese, pez (fish, idiot) in Spanish, pêcher (to fish) in French, pysgodyn (fish) in Welsh, iasc (fish) in Irish, and piscine (fishy, pertaining to fish) and piscatorial (pertaining to fish, fishing or fishermen) in English [source].

The Proto-Indo-European *peysk- (fish) only has descendents in the Germanic, Romance and Celtic languages. Another PIE root for fish is *dʰǵʰúHs, which became ձուկ (juk – fish, calf muscle) in Armenian, zivs (fish) in Latvian, žuvis (fish) in Lithuanian, and ιχθύς (ichthýs – fish) in Greek – (archaic) appears mainly in compounds such as χθυοπώλης (ichthyopólis – fishmonger) [source].

ichthyosaur

Some fish-related words in English also come from the same roots, via Ancient Greek ἰχθύς [ixˈθis] (ikhthús, fish, stupid person). These include: ichthyology (fish science), ichthyosaur (any fishlike marine reptiles of the extinct order Ichthyosauria), ichthyolatry (the worship of fish or fish-shaped idols), and ichthyophobia (fear of fish) [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.

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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.




Celtic Pathways – Rich Kingdoms

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the Celtic roots of words for kingdom, rich and related things in Germanic, Romance and other languages.

Kings & Queens

The Proto-Celtic word *rīgyom means kingdom, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (king). Related words in Proto-Celtic include *rīxs (king) and *rīganī (queen) [source]

Related in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • rí [ɾˠiː] = king and banríon [bˠau(n̪ˠ)ˈɾˠiːnʲ] = queen in Irish
  • rìgh [r̪ʲi] = king and banrigh [bãũn̪r̪ʲɪ] = queen in Scottish Gaelic
  • ree [ɾiː] = king and benrein = queen in Manx
  • rhi [r̥iː] = king and rhiain (woman, girl, queen, lady) in Welsh
  • ri = king in Cornish
  • ri [ˈʁiː] = king in Breton

More details of words for king, queen and related things in Celtic languages can be found in the Celtiadur post Kings and Queens.

The Proto-Celtic word *rīgyom (kingdom) was borrowed into Proto-Germanic as *rīkiją (rulership, goverment, authority, realm, kingdom), and is the root of such words as rijk (realm, kingdom, empire, state) in Dutch, Reich (empire, state, realm) in German, říše (realm, empire, kingdom) in Czech, and rike (realm, kingdom, empire, nation) in Swedish [source].

The Proto-Celtic word *rīxs (king) was borrowed into Proto-Germanic as *rīkijaz (kingly, royal, noble, mighty, powerful, rich), which became rich in English, ryk (rich, wealthy) in Afrikaans, ricco (rich, wealthy, affluent) in Italian, and rikas (rich, wealthy, opulent, plentiful) in Finnish [source].

The Proto-Celtic word *rīxs (king) also found its way into names such as Friedrich and Heinrich in German, Henrik in Dutch (and other languages), and Roderick, Frederick, Henry and Richard in English [source].

Other words from PIE root *h₃rḗǵs (king) include rey (king) and reina (queen) in Spanish, रानी (rānī – queen, princess) in Hindi, and royal, regal, viceroy and maybe realm in English [source].

Incidentally, the continents of America (initially it referred just to South America, then to North America as well) were named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, and the name Amerigo comes ultimately from the Proto-Germanic name Amalarīks, from amalą (hard work, stuggle) and *rīks (king, ruler), from Proto-Celtic *rīxs (king) [source].

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Celtic Pathways – Engaged Hostages

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the Celtic roots of words for hostage in Germanic languages, and words related to engagement in Finnic languages.

Give me the best tuna can, or I will kill the hostage!

The Proto-Celtic word *geistlos means hostage or bail, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeydʰ- (to yearn for, to desire) [source]

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • giall [ɟiəl̪ˠ] = hostage, pledge in Irish
  • giall [gʲiəl̪ˠ] = hostage, pledge in Scottish Gaelic
  • gioal = pledge, stake, wager in Manx
  • gwystl [ɡwɨ̞sdl] = pledge, assurance, security in Welsh
  • gostel = hostage, riot in Cornish
  • gouestl [ˈɡwestl] = hostage, pledge, guarantee in Breton

More details of words for hostage and related things in Celtic languages can be found in the Celtiadur post Captive Hostages.

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Proto-Germanic *gīslaz (hostage), include gijzelen (to take hostage) in Dutch, Geisel (hostage) in German, and gissel (hostage) in Norwegian [source].

The Finnish words kihlata (to betroth) and kihlajaislahja (engagement present), the Estonian word kihlatu (to betroth) also come from the same Proto-Celtic roots via Proto-Germanic *gīslaz (hostage) and Proto-Finnic *kihla (pledge, bet, wager, engagement gift) [source].

Words from the same PIE root (*gʰeydʰ-) include geisti (to desire, crave, covet) in Lithuanian, gaidīt (to wait, expect) in Latvian, ždát (to ask) in Czech, and ждати (ždáty – to wait for, expect) in Ukrainian [source].

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 – Unkempt Combs

By Simon

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You can be unkempt, but can you be just kempt? Let’s find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot.

Llama, Unkempt
An unkempt llama

Unkempt [ˌʌnˈkɛmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly, untidy, messy, rough or unpolished.

It comes from unkemmed, from Middle English kembed (well-combed, neat), from kemben [ˈkɛm(b)ən] (to comb), from Old English cemben [ˈkem.bɑn] (to comb), from Proto-West Germanic *kambijan (to comb), from Proto-Germanic *kambijaną (to comb), from *kambaz (comb) from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (tooth, peg), from *ǵembʰ- (to bite, chomp) [source].

combs
Combs

Words from the same roots possibly include dhëmb (tooth) in Albanian, zub (tooth) in Slovak, kampa (comb) and hammas (tooth, cog, sprocket) in Finnish, kam (comb, ridge) in Dutch, and comb in English [source].

The word kempt does exist in English and means neat and tidy, especially when talking about hair. These days it is usually used humorously, but it was more commonly used in the past [source].

Camshaft
A camshaft

Incidentally, the English word cam, as in camshaft, camwheel, etc, comes from the same roots, via Dutch kam (comb, ridge). The Dutch word was also borrowed into French as came (cam, stuff, trinket), Italian as camma (cam), and into other languages [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.

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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.




Adventures in Etymology – Sticky Climbs

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the sticky roots of the word climb.

Red squirrel

Meanings of climb [klaɪm] include:

  • To ascend, rise or go up
  • To mount, move upwards
  • To scale, get to the top of
  • To move by gripping with the hands and using the feet

It comes from Middle English climben [ˈkli(ː)mbən / ˈkli(ː)mən] (to climb, scale, ascend) – the b was no longer pronounced in Late Middle English – from Old English climban [ˈklim.bɑn] (to climb), from Proto-West Germanic *klimban (to climb), from Proto-Germanic *klimbaną (to climb), probably from *klibāną (to stick, adhere) from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (to smear, to stick, putty, glue) [source].

Words from the same roots possibly include glue, gluten, clay, to cleave, cliff, cloth in English, klimmen (to climb) and kleven (to stick, glue) in Dutch, glynu (to stick, adhere) in Welsh, and glina (clay, loam) in Polish [source].

The English word clamber (to climb with difficulty or in a haphazard fashion) possibly also comes from the same roots, and is related to klambra (to clamp) in Icelandic and klamra (to cling) in Swedish [source].

Incidentally, the word to cleave can mean both to split or sever something with a sharp instrument, and to adhere, cling, or stick fast to something. The second meaning shares common roots with climb, but the first doesn’t [source]

Instead, it comes from Middle English cleven (to cleave, split, slice), from Old English clēofan (to cleave, split), from Proto-West Germanic *kleuban (to split, cleave), from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną (to split, cleave), from Proto-Indo-European *glewbʰ- (to cut, to slice) [source].

Related words include cleft and glyph in English, kloof (gap, gorge, ravine) in Dutch (and in Afrikaans and South African English), and глубокий [ɡɫʊˈbokʲɪj] (deep, profound) in Russian [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.

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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.




Celtic Pathways – Herons

By Simon

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In this episode we uncover the possible Celtic roots of words for heron in Romance languages.

Heron

The Proto-Celtic word *korxsā / *korxsiyos means heron or crane [source], and possibly comes from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreik- (to screech, creak), which is imitative in origin [source].

Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • corr [kəuɾˠ] = (grey) heron, stork, crane, leg-necked person in Irish
  • corra [kɔr̪ˠə] = heron, stork, crane in Scottish Gaelic
  • coar = heron, stork, crane in Manx
  • crychydd [ˈkrəχɨ̞ð / ˈkrəχɪð] = heron in Welsh
  • kerghydh = heron in Cornish
  • kercʼheiz [kɛrˈɣɛjs] = heron in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Celtiberian *cárcia (heron) or Gaulish curcio (heron), possibly include garza (heron) in Galician, garza (heron) in Spanish, and garça (heron) in Portuguese [source].

The Welsh word crëyr [ˈkreː.ɨ̞r / ˈkreː.ɪr], which means heron or egret, probably comes from the same PIE roots, as do reiger (heron) in Dutch, Reiher (heron) in German, häger (heron) in Swedish, heron and egret in English, and haikara (heron, stork) in Finnish [source].

More details of heron-related words can be found in the Celtiadur post Herons.

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 – Feathers

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the word feather.

Feathers

A feather [ˈfɛð.ə(ɹ) / ˈfɛð.ɚ] is:

  • A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display.
  • Long hair on the lower legs of a dog or horse, especially a draft horse.
    [other meanings are available]

It comes from Middle English feþer (feather), from Old English feþer (feather, pen), from Proto-West Germanic *feþru (feather, wing), from Proto-Germanic *feþrō (feather), from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ (feather, wing), from *peth₂- (to fly, to spread out) [source].

Words from the same Proto-Germanic roots include veer (feather, plume) and vlerk (wing, scoundrel) in Dutch, Feder (feather, spring, nib, penholder, fountain pen) and Gefieder (plumage) in German, and federa (pillowcase) in Italian (via Lombardic fedeara (feather)) [source].

Roger Federer (Switzerland)

By the way, the Swiss tennis player Roger Federer gets his surname from the Swiss German word Federer, which means ‘one who works with or trades in quills’, which are traditionally made from feathers [source]

Other words from the same Proto-Indo-European roots include πτηνό (ptinó – bird) in Greek, पत्र (patra – letter, paper, document, leaf) in Hindi, adar (birds) and adain (wing, fin) in Welsh, and appetite, petal, petition and fathom in English [source].

Helicopter

Incidentally, the word heliocopter also comes from the same roots, via French hélicoptère (helicopter), which comes from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix – spiral) &‎ πτερόν (pterón – feather, wing) – at least the -pter part does – see also pterodactyl (“winged finger”) [source].

Can anybody identify which birds the feathers in the photo at the top of this post come from? I found them in my garden.

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.




Celtic Pathways – Shovelling Oars

By Simon

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In this episode we uncover the Celtic roots of words for oar, to row and related things in Basque.

Viking long boat race (58)

The Proto-Celtic word *rāmyos means oar, spade or shovel and comes from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁- (to row) [source].

Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • rámh [ɾˠɑːv] = oar in Irish
  • ràmh [r̪ˠaːv] = oar, paddle in Scottish Gaelic
  • raue = rowing in Manx
  • rhaw [r̥aːu̯] = shovel, spade in Welsh
  • reuv = shovel in Cornish
  • roev = spade in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root include arraun (oar, rowing), arraundu (to row), arrauean (rowing), arraunlari (rower, oarsman), and arraunontzi (rowing boat, rowboat) in Basque [source].

Words from the same PIE root include row, rudder and trireme (a galley with three banks of oars) in English, riem (oar, paddle) in Dutch, rojen (to row) in German, remiero (rowing) in Italian, radeau (raft) in French [source].

The name Russia also comes from the same PIE roots, via Medieval Latin Russia, Old East Slavic Русь (Rusĭ – inhabitants of Rus*), Byzantine Greek Ῥῶς (Rhôs – Rus), probably Proto-Finnic *roocci (person from the coast of Roden, later a Swede), Old East Norse *roþs- (related to rowing); Old Norse róðr (steering oar), and Proto-Germanic *rōþrą (rudder) [source].

*Rus refers to Kievan Rus’, the medieval East Slavic state established by Scandinavian warrior merchants in the 9th century, whose capital was in Кꙑевъ (Kyjevŭ – Kyiv), and the inhabitants of this state [more details].

Moreover, words for Sweden and Swedish in Finnic and Sami languages come from the same PIE roots, and include ruotsi (Swedish [language]) in Finnish, Rootsi (Sweden) in Estonian, and Ruoŧŧa (Sweden) in Northern Sámi [source].

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 – Healing Medics

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words for doctor in some Germanic languages.

Doctores Oftalmologos

The Proto-Celtic word *leigis means healer and either comes from Proto-Germaic *lēkiz (healing, medicine, healer), or directly from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂leg- (to care for) [source].

Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • lia [l̠ʲiə] = healer, physician in Irish
  • lèigh [l̪ʲeː] = physician, surgeon in Scottish Gaelic
  • (fer/ben) lhee = (male/female) doctor, physician in Manx

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root possibly include leech (physician, healer) in English, læknir (medical practitioner, doctor) in Icelandic, läkare (doctor, physician) and läka (to heal) in Swedish, lääkäri (phyisican, doctor) in Finnish, and læge (doctor, physician, surgeon) in Danish [source].

Words from the same PIE root include religion and neglect in English, religione (religion) Italian, religie (faith, religion) Dutch, and négliger (to neglect, ignore) in French [source].

Incidentally, leech used to refer to a physician or healer in English, that is, someone who practised leechcraft (healing, medicine) using leechdom (medicine, remedy) and possibly leeches, and maybe a leechbook (a compilation of medicinal cures and remedies).

This type of leech comes from Middle English leche (physician), from Old English lǣċe (doctor, physician), from Proto-West Germanic *lākī (doctor, physician), from Proto-Germanic *lēkijaz (doctor, physician) [source].

Leech, as in an aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis, comes from the same roots, but via Middle English leche (blood-sucking worm), Old English lǣċe (blood-sucking worm), Proto-West Germanic *lākī, and so on [source].

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 – Luxurious Locks

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we unlock connections between the words luxury and lock.

Sofitel So Bangkok - Wood Element Room - 01

As a adjective luxury [ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi / ˈlʌɡʒəɹi] can mean:

  • Very expensive.
  • Not essential but desirable and enjoyable and indulgent.

As a noun luxury can mean:

  • Very wealthy and comfortable surroundings.
  • Something desirable but expensive.
  • Something that is pleasant but not necessary in life.

It comes from Middle English luxurie [ˈluksjuri(ə)] (lustfulness; sexual desire or attraction; copulation), from Old French luxur(i)e (lust), from Latin lūxuria (luxury, extravangance, lust), from lūxus (a dislocation, extravagance, luxury, excess, debauchery, pomp, splendor), from Proto-Italic *luksos, from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (to bend, twist) [source].

Words from the same roots include lock, locket and reluctant in English, lok (lock of hair) in Dutch, Loch (hole, perforation, pit, gap, cavity, dungeon) in German, lujuria (lust, excess) and luchar (to fight, battle, struggle, strive) in Spanish, and gollwng (to releasse, drop, leak) in Welsh [source].

Incidentally, one word for luxury in Old English was firenlust / fyrnlust [ˈfi.renˌlust] which also means sinful lust, sinful pleasure, or extravagance, and comes from firen (crime, sin, torment, suffering) and lust (desire, pleasure, appetite, lust) [source].

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The theme tune for this podcast is The Unexpected Badger / Y Mochyn Daear Annisgwyl, a piece I wrote and recorded in 2017.

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.