Category: Etymology

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].

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Adventures in Etymology – Enumerating Numbers

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we untangle the roots of the word number.

Numbers

A number [ˈnɐmbə(ɹ) / ˈnʌ̟mbɚ(ɹ)] is:

  • Quantity
  • An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
  • A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer.
  • An element of one of several sets: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, etc
    other meanings are available

It comes from Middle English nombre (number), from Anglo-Norman noumbre (number), from Old French nombre / nonbre (number), from Latin numerus (number, collection, quantity, rank, position), from Proto-Italic *nomezos, from PIE *nem(h₁)- (to distribute, give, take) [source].

Words from the same roots include economic(s), geometrical, metronome, nemesis, nomad and numb in English, ņemt (to take, seize, accept, enjoy) in Latvian, nehmen (to take, hold, grasp) in German, nifer (number) in Welsh, and nimh (poison, venom) in Scottish Gaelic, and nëmë (curse) in Albanian [source].

In Middle English, words for number included rime, which is related to rhythm and rhyme in modern English [source], and ȝetæl, which also meant calculation, reckoning, a series and other things, and is related to tell and tale in modern English [source].

Incidentally, a numeral is a symbol that is not a word and represents a number, such as 1, 2, 3, ४, ५, ६, VII, VIII, IX, etc. It comes from the same roots as number [source].

The numerals 1, 2, 3, etc are commonly known as Arabic numerals, a name that comes from Medieval Latin numerus Arabicus, as they arrived in Europe from Arabic-speaking countries. They actually originated in India and developed from ancient Brahmi numerals in about the 3rd century BC. They are also known as Hindu numerals, Hindu-Arabic numerals, Western Arabic numerals or Indo-Arabic numerals [source].

The numerals used in Arabic and other languages, such as Persian and Urdu, are known as Eastern Arabic numerals and look a bit different: ٠ (0), ١ (1), ٢ (2), ٣ (3), ٤/۴/۴ (4), ٥/۵ (5), etc [source].

You can see numerals from many writing systems at: https://www.omniglot.com/language/numerals.htm, and you can find numbers in many languages at: https://www.omniglot.com/language/numbers/

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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.




Adventures in Etymology – Minions

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we unravel the roots of the word minion.

Minions

A minion [ˈmɪnjən] is:

  • A loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being.
  • A sycophantic follower.
  • A small, yellow creature that appears in the Despicable Me and Minions films.

It used to mean:

  • A loved one; one highly esteemed and favoured.
  • Favoured, beloved

It comes from Middle French mignon (lover, favourite, darling), from Old French mignon (dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind), from Frankish *minnju (love, friendship, affection, memory), from Proto-Germanic *minþijō, (affectionate thought, care), from PIE *men- (to think, mind) [source].

Related words in Engish include minionette (small, delicate), minionlike (resembling a minion, finely, daintily), and miniondom (the realm, sphere, or world of minions; minions collectively).

Words from the same PIE roots include mignon (cute, sweet, lovely) in French, manit (to notice, observe, perceive) in Lithuanian, monieren (to criticize, complain) in German, mostrare (to show, indicate, point) in Italian, mynwent (graveyard, cemetery) in Welsh, and admonish, mantra, mind, monitor, monster, monument and summon in English [source].

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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.

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.




Celtic Pathways – Cumbersome Confluences

By Simon

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In this episode we disencumber the cumbersome and confluent Celtic roots of words like encumber.

The meeting of the waters

The Proto-Celtic word *kombereti means to bring together and comes from Proto-Celtic *kom- (with, together) and *bereti (to bear), from PIE *bʰéreti (to be carrying) [source].

Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • cumar = ravine, channel, rut in Irish
  • comar [komər] = confluence, concourse in Scottish Gaelic
  • cymer [ˈkəmɛr] = confluence, meeting of waters, meeting place or clash of armies in Welsh
  • kemper = confluence, junction of streams in Cornish
  • kember [ˈkɛm.bɛr] = confluence in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *comberos (river dam) and Latin combrus (river dam), possibly include encombrer (to block off, clutter, congest, encumber, burden) in French, ingombrare (to encumber, clutter, choke) in Italian, and cumbersome, encumber and incumbrance in English [source].

You can be encumbered and unencumbered in English, but can you be simply cumbered? Yes, you can. Cumber is an old word that means to slow down, hinder or burden. It comes from Middle English combren (to trouble, vex, annoy), from Old French combre (dam, dike), from Latin combrus etc. [source].

Other words related to cumber include cumberer (one that cumbers), cumberless (unencumbered), and cumberground (a totally worthless object or person, something that is just in the way).

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 – Jots & Tittles

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we jot down a jot or two about jots (and tittles).

gocco moleskine - jotter

A jot [ʤɒt / ʤɑt] is:

  • The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota.
  • A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit. E.g. He didn’t care a jot for his work.
  • A brief and hurriedly written note.
  • An instant, a moment. (obsolete)

And to jot (down) means:

  • to write (something) quickly; to make a brief note of (something). E.g. I will jot it down in my jotter.

It comes from Middle English jote (jot, tittle, whit), from Latin iōta (iota – a Greek letter), from Ancient Greek ἰῶτα (iôta – the 9th letter of the Ancient Greek alphabet (Ιι), a very small part of writing, a jot), from Phoenician 𐤉 (yodh / y‬ – the 10th letter of the Phoenician abjad), ultimately from the Ancient Egytian hieroglyph 𓂝 (arm) [source].

Related words include jotter (a memordandum book, exercise book, someone who jots), jotting (a brief note or sketch), and jotty (written as, or like, a brief informal sketch) [source].

The expression (every) jot and tittle means a small detail, or the smallest details [source].

A tittle is any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j. A small, insignificant amount (of something); a modicum or speck. [source].

Related words include tittle-tattle(r) (an idle gossip, a trifling talker, to engage in/spread gossip), tittle-tattling (idle gossip) title, and tilde (e.g. ~, as used on ã, ñ, õ, etc.).

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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.

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.




Celtic Pathways – Celtic Carpenters

By Simon

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In this episode we drill down to the Celtic roots of words for carpenter in English and other languages.

Moffett Mill

The Proto-Celtic word *karbantos means (war) chariot or wagon and is possibly related to the Proto-Celtic word *korbos (wagon, basket). Beyond that, its origins are not known [source].

Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • carbad [ˈkaɾˠəbˠəd̪ˠ] = chariot in Irish
  • carbad [karabad] = chariot, coach, carriage, wagon, vehicle, bier, jaw(bone) in Scottish Gaulish
  • carbyd = bus, coach, vehicle, bier, hearse in Manx
  • cerbyd [ˈkɛrbɨ̞d / ˈkɛrbɪd] = car, carriage, chariot, wagon, coach; clumsy fellow, bungler in Welsh
  • karbed = vehicle in Breton

More details about words for Wagons & Carts in Celtic languages on Celtiadur.

The Gaulish word carbantos (chariot, wagon) comes from the same Proto-Celtic root, and was borrowed into Latin as carpentum (carriage, wagon, cart), from which we get the Latin word carpentārius (coachman, cartwright, carpenter) [source].

Words from the same Latin and Gaulish roots include charpente (framework, build, structure) and charpentier (carpenter) in French, carpentiere (carpenter) in Italian, carpintero (carpenter, woodpecker) in Spanish, and carpenter in English [source].

Incidentally, in Old English one word for carpenter, and woodworker, was trēowwyrhta, or literally “tree worker”. This later became treewright, an old word for a carpenter, joiner or other worker of wood [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].

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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.

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.




Celtic Pathways – Cheesy Hills

By Simon

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In this episode, we uncover the possible Celtic roots of words for hillsides and rough scrub land in Romance languages.

Cwm Idwal

The Proto-Celtic words *brigā (hill, fortress) and *brixs (hill), both come from Proto-Indo-European *bʰérǵʰ-s (something high up, fortified) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • brí [bʲɾʲiː] = brae, hill in Irish
  • bre [bre] = hill, headland in Scottish Gaelic
  • bre [bre] = hill, hillock, mountain, hill-country, upland, peak in Welsh
  • bre [brɛ: / bre:] = hill in Cornish – appears as Bray or Brae in placenames
  • bre [breː] = hill, mountain in Breton

For more details of related words in the Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post Hills.

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish *brigā (hill, fortress) and Latin *brigna (rocky terrain), possibly include bricco (hill, crag, ridgeside) in Italian, breña (scrub, brush, rough ground) in Spanish and Galician, and brenha (scrub, complication, confusion) in Portuguese [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include burrow and borough, (and place names ending in burg(h), boro(ugh), bury, etc.) in English, Burg (castle) in German, burcht (citadel, castle, borough, burrow) in Dutch, and bourg (market town, village) in French – also found in place names, such as Strasbourg and Luxembourg [source].

My take

Incidentally, the French cheese brie comes from and is named after the historic region of Brie in northern France, which gets its name from Gaulish *brigā (hill, fortress), from Proto-Celtic *brigā (hill, fortress) [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 – An Assembly of Things

By Simon

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This Adventure in Etymology is an assembly of words about the word thing, or something like that.

Pointless things?

Meanings of thing [θɪŋ] include:

  • That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept.
  • A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity.
  • An individual object or distinct entity.

It comes from Middle English thing (thing, substance, object), from Old English þing (thing, matter, concern, event, meeting, court, case, reason, means), from Proto-West Germanic *þing (court, session, lawsuit, affair, matter, thing, object) from Proto-Germanic *þingą (time, date, meeting, assembly, council, case, matter, issue), from Proto-Indo-European *tenk-ó-, from *tenk- (to be suitable) [source].

So, its meaning changed from being suitable, to a suitable or scheduled time, to an assembly, to a specific issue discussed at an assembly, to issues, objects or things in general. Which is quite something.

There are related words in other Germanic languages that also mean thing, and other things. For example, ding (matter, thing) in Dutch [source] (and Afrikaans), Ding (thing, girl, boy) in German [source], and Déngen (thing, object) in Luxembourgish [source].

The Alþingi
The Alþingi

However, in Norwegian, ting can mean thing, court or assembly [source], ting means thing, assembly or parliament in Danish [source], and þing means assembly, meeting, council or parliament in Icelandic, and the parliament of Iceland is called the Alþingi – see above [source].

Other words from the same roots include tinka (quarrel, disagreement, shortage, lack, tight situation) in Finnish, tinge (to bargin, haggle) in Danish, þinga (to hold a meeting) in Icelandic, dungi (to employ) in Esperanto, and gedeihen (to thrive, flourish, prosper) in German [source].

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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.

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.




Celtic Pathways – Bearing Cradles

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the Celtic roots of words for cradle, crib and related things in Portuguese and other languages.

berço

The Proto-Celtic word *bereti means to carry or bear, and comes from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti (to be carrying), from *bʰer- (to bear, carry) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • beir [bʲɛɾʲ] = to bear, give birth to; lay (eggs) in Irish
  • beir [berʲ] = to take hold; bring forth, bear, produce, carry in Scottish Gaelic
  • behr = to bear (give birth to) in Manx
  • beru = to flow, drip, drizzle in Welsh
  • perthi = to bear, endure, put up with, stand, suffer, tolerate in Cornish (not entirely sure about this one)
  • berañ [ˈbeːrã] = to drip, flow in Breton

For more details of related words in the Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post Birth.

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root via Proto-Celtic *bertā (bundle, burden ?), Gaulish *berta and Latin berciolum (cradle), include berço (cradle, crib, birthplace) in Portuguese, bressol (cradle) in Catalan, berceau (cradle, crib, birthplace, arch, vault) in French, and berså (arbour, bower) in Swedish (borrowed from French) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include barn, barrow, bear, berth, birth and burden and ferret in English, baren (to bear, give birth to, cause) in Dutch, brouette (wheelbarrow) in French, and Bürde (burden) in German [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.