Celtic Pathways – Tan Oaks

In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words such as tan, tannin and Tannenbaum.

September

The Proto-Celtic word *tannos means green oak, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *(s)dʰnwos/*(s)dʰonu (fir).

Related words in the Celtic languages include:

  • tinne = the letter t in the Ogham alphabet (ᚈ) in Irish
  • tinne [tʲenə] = the letter t (ᚈ) in Ogham; gorse, whin, furze (archaic) in Scottish Gaelic
  • taneru = to tan (hide) in Welsh
  • glastanen gelyn = holm oak in Cornish
  • tann = sessile oaks in Breton

For more about words for oak and related things, see the Celtiadur post: Oak (trees)

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *tannos (oak) and Latin tannum (oak bark), include tan (pulped oak bark used in the tanning process of leather) in French, tano (stem, slip) in Galician, tanería (tannery) in Spanish, Tannenbaum (fir tree, Christmas tree) in German, θάμνος (thámnos – bush) in Greek, and tan, tannery, tannin (tannic acid) in English.

Words from the same PIE roots include thanë (cranberry bush) in Albanian, and धनु (dhanu – bow, Sagittarius) in Sanskrit. [source].

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Adventures in Etymology – Terminal Boundaries

In this Adventure in Etymology, we determine the limits of the word term, and find out how it’s connected to the Daleks in Dr Who.

Eurostar
St Pancras International Station – a major railway terminus in London

A term [tɜːm/tɝm] is:

  • That which limits the extent of anything; limit, extremity, bound, boundary, terminus.
  • A chronological limitation or restriction, a limited timespan.
  • Any of the binding conditions or promises in a legal contract.
  • A word or phrase (e.g., noun phrase, verb phrase, open compound), especially one from a specialised area of knowledge.
  • Part of a year, especially one of the divisions of an academic year.
  • Duration of officeholding, or its limit; period in office of fixed length.
  • With respect to a pregnancy, the period during which birth usually happens (approximately 40 weeks from conception).

It comes from Middle English terme (limit, end, goal, boundary), from Old French terme (limit, boundary), from Latin terminus (boundary, limit, end, period of time), from Proto-Italic *termenos (boundary stone), from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ (boundary, end), possibly from *ter(h₂)- (to pass through) [source].

Words from the same roots include terminal, terminus, determine, avatar, thorough and through in English, terme (conclusion, end, term [word, expression], deadline, rent) in French, término (end, terminus, finish, conclusion, period, term) in Spanish, and τέρμα (térma – conclusion, end, goal, finishing line) in Greek [source].

What links term with the Daleks*? Well, the Daleks’ favourite expression, Exterminate!, comes from the same roots, via Latin exterminātus (expelled, exiled, banished, abolished, destroyed) from exterminō (I expel, exile, banish, etc), from ex- (out, away) & terminō (I finish, close, end) [source].

Daleks

*Dalek = A member of a species of extraterrestrial cyborg mutants who appear in the television programme Doctor Who and are known for travelling in metallic shells, having monotone, mechanically distorted voices, repeating a limited number of phrases, and their fanatical obsession with exterminating other, non-Dalek beings. The word Dalek either comes from the Kaleds, the beings they evolved from, or from Dals (gods) in their (fictional) language [source].

The Terminator

Incidentally, the word terminator also comes from the same roots, via Latin terminātor (he who sets bounds), from terminō (I finish, close, end), from terminus (end, limit) [source].

Here’s a little ditty I wrote in October 2024 called Terms & Conditions, which is about all those pesky terms & conditions that few of us ever read, and even fewer understand.

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

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

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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.

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Celtic Pathways – Jeans

In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of the word jeans, and also the place names Genoa and Geneva.

Boots and Jeans

Jeans are trousers made from denim cotton, traditionally dyed dark blue, and also known as blue jeans. The word jeans is an abbreviation of jean fustian, from Middle English Gene (Genoa, Genovese) and fustian (a strong cotton fabric) [source].

Gene comes from Latin Genua (Genoa), which like Geneva, possibly comes from the Proto-Celtic *genwā ([river] bend) from PIE *ǵénw-eh₂, from *ǵónu (knee), which is also the root of the Proto-Celtic word *glūnos (knee) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • glúin [ɡl̪ˠuːnʲ] = knee, generation, step, node in Irish
  • glùin [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲ] = knee, generation, lap in Scottish Gaelic
  • glioon [ɡlʲuːnʲ] = joint, knee in Manx
  • glin [ɡliːn] = knee in Welsh
  • glin [ɡliːn] = knee in Cornish
  • glin [ɡlĩːn] = knee in Breton

Other words from the same PIE roots include genuflect (to bend the knee, grovel) and knee in English; genou (knee) in French; knie (knee) in Dutch and Afrikaans; gju [ɟu/ɡjũː] (knee) in Albanian, and γόνατο [ˈɣɔnatɔ] (knee) in Greek [source].

Incidentally, the k in knee was pronounced in Middle Engish kne [kneː] and Old English cnēow [kne͜oːw] [source], and also in Early Modern English until about the 16th or 17th century, when it quietly disappeared in speech [source].

See the Celtiadur post Knees for more details of words for knee and related things in Celtic languages. 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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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.

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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.

Celtic Pathways – Great Big

In this episode we’re looking at Celtic words for great and big and related things.

Wood of Chestnut trees

A Proto-Celtic word for big and great is *māros, which comes from Proto-Indo-European *moh₁ros (great), or mērós (great, considerable, sizeable, impressive), both of which come from *meh₁- (to measure) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • mór [mˠoːɾˠ] = big, great, large in Irish.
  • mòr [moːr] = big, great, large, grand in Scottish Gaelic
  • mooar [muːr] = big, great, grand, heavy, tall in Manx
  • mawr [mau̯r] = large, big; fully grown in Welsh
  • meur [mø:r] = great, grand, large, substantial in Cornish
  • meur [møʁ] = big, many in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Byzantine Greek μάραον (máraon – sweet chestnut), possibly include marrone (brown, chestnut) in Italian, marron (chestnut, brown) in French, and Morone (sweet chestnut) in German [source].

How did a word meaning big in Proto-Celtic come to refer to chestnuts in other languages? Possibly because the edible seeds (chestnuts) of the sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) are relatively large.

Words from the same PIE roots include immense, meal, measure, meter / metre, metronome and probably moon and month in English, vermaren (to make famous) and maal (meal, time, turn) in Dutch, and mærð (flattery, praise) in Icelandic [source].

You can find more details of words for Big, Large & Great and related things on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

By the way, you can find a longer version of the new theme tune, Dancing on Custard, on: SoundCloud.

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 – Hands

In this episode we’re getting to grips with Celtic words for hand and related things.

gemeinsam

A Proto-Celtic word for hand (and palm) is *ɸlāmā, which comes from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (palm, hand), from *pleh₂- (flat) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • lámh [l̪ˠɑːvˠ/l̪ˠæːw] = hand, arm, handle or signature in Irish.
  • làmh [l̪ˠaːv] = hand, arm or handle in Scottish Gaelic
  • laue [læu] = hand, handful, foreleg or arm in Manx
  • llaw [ɬaːu̯] = hand; authority, possession, etc in Welsh
  • leuv [lœ:v / le:v] = hand in Cornish
  • lav [lav] = feathered hand in Breton

The usual word for hand in Breton is dorn, which is related to words for fist in the other Celtic languages. Another Breton word for hand is brec’h, which is related to words for arm in the other languages [source].

The Faroese word lámur ((seal’s) flipper, (cat’s) paw, left hand, (big) hand, left-handed person) comes from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Old Norse lámr (hand, arm) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include floor, palm, piano, plain and plan in English, piazza (square, plaza, market) in Italian, llano (flat, level, plain) in Spanish, παλάμη (palámi – palm, hand) in Greek, and words for floor and ground in Celtic languages [source]

You can find more details of words for fists, palms, hands and arms and related things 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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Adventures in Etymology – Snort

In this Adventure we are snuffling around the origins of the word snort.

harbor seal thrusting head back and snorting

Snort [snɔɹt] means:

  • The sound made by exhaling or inhaling roughly through the nose.
  • to exhale roughly through the nose; to make a snort
  • to inhale snuff or another snortable substance

It comes from the Middle English snorten (to snore, breathe heavily, snort), from fnorten/fnōren (to snore loudly, to snort in one’s sleep, (of a horse) to snort), from the Old English fnora (a sneeze, sneezing), from the Proto-Germanic *fnuzô, from the Proto-Indo-European *pnew- (to breathe, snort, sneeze) [source].

Words derived from snort include chortle (a joyful, somewhat muffled laugh, rather like a snorting chuckle) – a blend of chuckle and snort [source]; and snortle (a hearty laugh that is punctuated by a snort on the inhale) – a blend of snort and chortle [source].

Words from the same roots at snort include πνέω [ˈpne.o] (to blow) in Greek; niezen (to sneeze) in Dutch; sneeze, pneumonia and pneumatic in English; and fnysa (to snort, scoff, sniff, harumph) in Swedish [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

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.

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.

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Adventures in Etymology – Sneeze

Today we’re investigating the origins of the word sneeze.

Sneeze

Sneeze [sniːz] means:

  • to emit air or breath suddenly, forcibly, and audibly through the nose and mouth by involuntary, spasmodic action.

It comes from the Middle English snesen [ˈsneːzən] (to sneeze), from fnesen [ˈfneːzən] (to sneeze) from the Old English fnēosan [ˈfne͜oː.zɑn] (to sneeze), from the Proto-Germanic *fneusaną [ɸneu̯.sɑ.nɑ̃] (to sneeze), from the Proto-Indo-European *pnew- (to pant, breathe, snort, sneeze) [source].

A related word in Middle English was fnesy [fneːziː] (having a tendency to wheeze or sneeze) [source]. Other words that began with fn in Middle Engilsh included fnoren and fnorten which became snore and snort in Modern English.

An old word for to sneeze in English was neeze, which is or was used in some dialects in the UK. It came from the Middle English nesen (to sneeze), from the Old English *hnēosan (to sneeze), from the Proto-Germanic *hneusaną (to sneeze), from the PIE *(s)knus- (to sneeze) and *pnew- (to pant, breathe) [source].

Words from the PIE root *pnew- include pneumatic and pneumonia in English, pneu (tyre/tire) in French, and πνέω [ˈpne.o] (to blow) in Greek [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

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.

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.

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Adventures in Etymology – Secret

Today we’re exploring the origins of the word secret.

Secret

A secret [ˈsiːkɹɪt / ˈsiːkɹət] is:

  • A piece of knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden.
  • The key or principle by which something is made clear; the knack.
  • Something not understood or known.

It comes from the Middle English secrette (secret), from the Old French secret (secret), from the Latin sēcrētus (put apart, separated, severed), from sēcernō (to separate, set aside), from sē- (aside, by itself) and cernō (to see, discern), from the PIE *krey (to sift, separate, divide) [source].

English words from the same PIE root include: certain, concern, crime, crisis, critic, discreet and hypocrisy [source].

Words in other languages from the same PIE root include: crynu [ˈkrənɨ/ˈkrəni] (to tremble, shiver, shudder) in Welsh, κρίνω [ˈkɾi.no] (to judge, assess, decide) in Greek, cernere [ˈt͡ʃɛr.ne.re] to separate, distinguish, choose) in Italian, and kraj [kraj] (country, land, border) in Polish [source].

In Old English a secret was a dēagol [ˈdæ͜ɑː.ɣol], which also meant hidden, obscure or (poetically) dark, which became diȝel in Middle English. It comes from the Proto-West Germanic *daugul (hidden, secret) [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

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.

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.

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Adventures in Etymology – Salt

Today we’re looking into the origins of the word salt.

Sea Salt

Salt [sɒlt / sɔlt / sɑlt] is:

  • a white powder or colourless crystalline solid, consisting mainly of sodium chloride and used for seasoning and preserving food

It comes from the Middle English salt(e) / se(a)lt [salt/sɛlt] (salt), from the Old English sealta [sæ͜ɑɫt] (salt, salty, salted), from the Proto-West-Germaic *salt (salty), from the Proto-Germanic *saltaz [ˈsɑl.tɑz] (salty), from *saltaną [ˈsɑl.tɑ.nɑ̃] (to salt, pickle) from the PIE *seh₂l- (salt) [source].

In most modern Indo-European languages, words for salt begin with an s and contain an l, including sel in French, sal in Catalan, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese and Spanish, sollan in Manx, and sól [sul] in Polish. [source].

Exceptions include sare [ˈsa.re] in Romanian, zout [zɑu̯t] in Dutch, αλάτι [aˈlati] in Greek, աղ [ɑʁ] in Armenian, halen in Welsh, and holen in Cornish and Breton [source].

The word salary, comes from the same PIE root, via Middle English salarie, Old French salaire and the Latin salārium (salary), from salārius (related to salt), from sal (salt). It is thought that salārium was an abbreviation of salārium argentum (salt money), as Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. However, there is no evidence for this [source].

Other English words from the same PIE root include salad, salami, saline, salsa, sauce, sausage, silt and halogen [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

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.

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.

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