Category: Etymology

Celtic Pathways – Birches

By Simon

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In this episode we unearth the Celtic roots of words for birch (tree) in various languages.

Birch forest

The Proto-Celtic word *betuyā means birch tree, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷetu-yo-s, from *gʷet- (resin, gum) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • beith = birch (tree), letter B in Ogham (ᚁ) in Irish
  • beithe [behə] birch, birch wood/forest in Scottish Gaelic
  • beih = birch (tree) in Manx
  • bedw [ˈbɛdʊ] = birch(es), birch grove, maypole, birch-rod in Welsh
  • besow = birches in Cornish
  • bezv [ˈbɛ(z)w] = birches in Breton

More details of words for birch in Celtic languages can be found in the Celtiadur post Birch (trees).

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *bitu/betua and Latin *betius, include betulla (birch) in Italian, bouleau (birch) in French, βετούλη (vetoúli – birch) in Greek, and abedul (birch) in Spanish [source].

The botanical Latin name for the genus, Betula (birch), also comes from the same roots [source].

Incidentally, the English word birch comes from Middle English birche (birch), from Old English bierċe (birch), from Proto-West Germanic *birkijā (birch), from Proto-Germanic *birkijǭ (birch), from PIE *bʰerHǵos (birch), from *bʰerHǵ- (to shine, to gleam, whiten) [source].

Words from the same roots possibly include: bredh (fir tree) in Albanian, björk (birch) in Swedish, béržas (birch) in Lithuanian and březen (March) in Czech [source].

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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.




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 – Sunwise

By Simon

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In this episode we unravel the Celtic roots the English word deiseal.

Clockwise

Deiseal [ˈdjɛʃəl] refers to a motion towards the right, in the direction of the hands of a clock or of the apparent motion of the sun (in the Northern Hemisphere); a turning in this direction. It is also written deisal, deasil, deisul or deshil [source].

Apparently deiseal can also be said when someone sneezes or swallows something awry. In this context, it means ‘May it go right’, and is an alternative to ‘(God) bless you’ or ‘gesundheit’.

It was borrowed from the Irish word deiseal (righthand direction, direction of the sun, clockwise, sunwise), which comes from Old Irish dess [dʲes] (right, south) and sel [sʲel] (a turn, a while), from Proto-Celtic *dexswos (right, south) and *swelos (a turn) [source].

Related words in the Celtic languages include mearbhall [ˈmʲaɾˠəwəl̪ˠ] (bewilderment, confusion) in Irish, deiseal [dʲeʃal] (clockwise, facing south, finished, ready, poised, prepared, handy, dexterous) in Scottish Gaelic, jeshal (clockwise) in Manx, and chwŷl [χwɨːl] (turn of events, course, destiny) in Welsh.

And also tuathal [ˈt̪ˠuəhəl̪ˠ] (anticlockwise, counterclockwise) in Irish, and tuathal [tuəhəl̪ˠ] (anticlockwise, unlucky, ill-omened, confused, agitated, disorien(ta)ted) in Scottish Gaelic [source].

More details of such words can be found in the Celtiadur post To Seek.

Another word for anticlockwise in English is widdershins / withershins, which also used to mean ‘the wrong way’. It comes from Middle Low German weddersins, from wedder- (whither, against, opposite) and sin (direction, way) [source].

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Adventures in Etymology – Discombobulation

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the word discombobulate.

Discombobulation

To discombobulate [ˌdɪs.kəmˈbɒb.jəˌleɪt] is:

  • To throw into a state of confusion
  • To befuddle or perplex.
  • To upset or embarrass

It was coined in the USA and first appeared in writing in around 1867 [source]. It is a fanciful mock-Latin term of a kind that was popular at that time, and was possibly inspired by words like discompose and discomfit [source].

Similar words were in use from about 1825, including discomboberated, discombobolate and discomboberate [source]

Related words include:

  • discombobulation = an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused; a confused or disorderly state
  • discombobulator = one who / that which discombobulates; a thingy or doodad
  • pericombobuation = disturbance and confusion (features in a 1987 episode of Blackadder The Third, a BBC TV comedy series)
  • to combobulate = to compose (oneself), to organize, to reverse the effect of discombobulation
  • recombobulation = the act of recombobulating; putting back into order; removing confusion

Other mock-Latin words coined in the 19th century include to absquatulate (to leave quickly, to flee), to bloviate (to speak at length in a pompous or boastful manner), to hornswoggle (to deceive or trick), and to skedaddle (to run away quickly) [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.




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.

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.




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.