Omniglot News (28/01/24)

By Simon

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Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • Bahing (बायुङ्), a Western Kiranti language spoken in the west of Koshi Province in eastern Nepal.
  • Jirel (ཇི་རེ་ལ་ / जिरेल), a Southern Tibetic language spoken mainly in Bagmati Province in eastern Nepal.
  • Kahua (Anganiwai), a Southeast Solomonic language spoken on Makira island in the Solomon Islands

New writing system: Meetei Yelhou Mayek, a way to write Manipuri revived / created by Naoriya Phulo in the 1930s.

Sample text in the Meetei Yelhou Mayek

New phrases pages:

  • Korku (कोरकू), a Munda language spoken mainly in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in central India.
  • Kagate (स्युबा), a Tibetic language spoken in Bagmati Province in eastern Nepal.
  • Samogitian (žemaitiu kalba), an Eastern Baltic language spoken in the Samogitia region in western Lithuania.

New numbers pages: Samogitian (žemaitiu kalba), an Eastern Baltic language spoken in the Samogitia region in western Lithuania.

Logo of the World Endangered Writing Day

There are new Omniglot blog posts about Duostories – translations of the stories from Duolingo in many languages, including ones not featured on Duolingo, and World Endangered Writing Day, a day to celebrate the world’s minority and indigenous scripts and communities, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken mainly in Togo in West Africa.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Interlingue (Occidental), an international auxiliary language based on Western European languages that was developed by Edgar von Wahl in the 1920s.

Since it’s been quite stormy here in the UK recently, in this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we look into the origins of the word Storm.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post about words for Stormy Weather and related things, and I made improvements to the posts about words for Black and White and related things.

I also made improvements to the Kabiye language page, and I made a separte page for the Tartessian language.

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.

Adventures in Etymology – Storm

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we’re stirring up the origins of the word storm, as it’s been quite stormful (abounding in storms, stormy) here in the UK recently.

lightning-storm

A storm [stɔːm/stɔɹm] is:

  • an extreme weather condition with very strong wind, heavy rain, and often thunder and lightning
  • A heavy expulsion or fall of things
  • A violent agitation of human society [source]

It comes from Middle English storm (storm, dispute, brawl, fight), from Old English storm (storm), from Proto-West-Germanic *sturm (storm), from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz (storm), from PIE *(s)twerH- (to stir up, agitate, urge on, propel) [source]

Words from the same roots include steer, stir, turbine, turbulence and turbo in English, turba (mob) in Spanish, torma (crowd, throng) in Italian, and twrf (disturbance, tumult) in Welsh [source].

Incidentally, stormful means abounding with storms or stormy, and when the weather is stormful, you might be bestormed (overtaken with a storm, assailed with storms), stormbound (caught in a storm) or stormtossed (tossed by the wind in a storm), so make sure everything is stormworthy (fit for weathering a storm) and stormproof (capable of resisting a storm).

Here’s a stormy little song called Thunder Vengeance by Lovebites, one of my favourite Japanese bands:

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 blog.

Omniglot News (21/01/24)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • Kagate / Syuba (स्युबा), a Tibetic language spoken in Bagmati Province in eastern Nepal.
  • Chaná (Lanték Yañá), a Charruan language spoken in Argentina.
  • Chocha Ngacha (ཁྱོད་ཅ་ང་ཅ་ཁ་), a Tibetic language spoken in eastern Bhutan.

New constructed script: Sonos, an alternative phonetically-based script for English devised by C. Seguin and inspired by the Shavian alphabet.

Sample text in Sonos (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

New English spelling system: New Franklin Alphabet (Nju Fraŋklin Alfybet), an alternative way to write English devised by Haley Wakamatsu and based on Benjamin Franklin’s Phonetic Alphabet.

New numbers pages:

  • Kagate / Syuba (स्युबा), a Tibetic language spoken in Bagmati Province in eastern Nepal.
  • Korku (कोरकू), a Munda language spoken mainly in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in central India.
  • Malinaltepec Tlapanec (Me̱ꞌphaa Mañuwìín), a variety of Tlapanec, an Oto-Manguean language spoken mainly in Guerrero in southern Mexico.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post entitled Lady Gunilda about the origins of the word gun, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this is an International Auxiliary Language based on Romance languages.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Khasi (Ka Ktien Khasi / ক ক্ত্যেন খসি), an Austroasiatic language spoken mainly in Meghalaya state in northeastern India.

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast, we discover the soft and tender Celtic roots of the word Bog.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post about words for Bees and related beasts, and I made improvements to the posts about words for Lord, Ruler and To Read.

Improved page: Timbisha, Tiwi and Tlapanec language pages.

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 – Soft Bogs

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the soft and tender Celtic roots of the word bog.

Bogs of Connemara

A bog is an area of decayed vegetation which forms a wet spongy ground too soft for walking on, and comes from Middle English bog (swamp, morass), from Irish / Scottish Gaelic bog (soft, tender, marshy, boggy), from Old Irish boc (soft, gentle, tender), from Proto-Celtic *buggos (soft, tender), from PIE *bʰewgʰ- (to bend, curve) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • bog [bˠɔɡ / bˠʌɡ] (noun) = soft, tender, flabby, indulgent, lenient, mellow (voice), mild (weather), loose, lukewarm in Irish
  • bog [boɡ] = flabby, soft, limp, pulpy, moist, marshy, boggy, sloppy, foolish, damp, humid in Scottish Gaelic
  • bog = soft, easy, tender, flabby, pulpy, slack, limp, moist, soft-hearted, callow in Manx
  • bouk [buːk] = soft, cozy, heavy, stifling (weather) in Breton

English words from the same PIE root include badge, bagel, bay, (to) bow, bow (and arrow), buck and elbow [source].

Incidentally, the word bog is also slang for toilet / bathroom (originally latrine or outhouse) in the UK (especially in northern England), Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and a boglet is a small patch of boggy ground, or a kind of supernatural being like a bogle or goblin.

More about words for 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.

Tóg go bog é! (Take it easy! – Irish).

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 (14/01/24)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Omniglot News

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

There are new language pages about:

  • Darmiya (Dar’ma), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India.
  • Sengele (kɛsɛ́ngɛlɛ), a Bantu language spoken in southwest of the Democratic Repubic of the Congo.
  • Mongo (Lɔmɔ́ngɔ), a Bantu language spoken in northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Gawri (ګاوری), a Dardic language spoken in the northwest of Pakistan.

New numbers pages:

  • Sengele (kɛsɛ́ngɛlɛ), a Bantu language spoken in southwest of the Democratic Repubic of the Congo.
  • Benga, a Bantu language spoken in southwestern Equatorial Guinea and northwestern Gabon.
  • Kimbundu, a Bantu language spoken in the northwest of Angola.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post about Interlinguistic Conflicts, which is about how closely-related, or even unrelated, languages might fight for dominance in your head, 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 northeast of India.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Provençal (prouvençau), a variety of Occitan spoken in Provence in the southeast of France.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we’re dawdling, dilly-dallying and shilly-shallying as we look into the origins of the word Procrastination.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Modestly Humble, and I made improvements to the post about words for Free and related things.

Improved page: Bisu language page.

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.

Adventures in Etymology – Procrastination

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this Adventure in Etymology we’re looking into the origins of the word procrastination, unless I start procrastinating, as often happens.

Procrastination image

Procrastination [pɹəʊˌkɹæs.tɪˈneɪ.ʃən] is:

  • The act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially habitually or intentionally.

It comes from Middle French procrastination, from Latin prōcrāstinātiō (procrastination), from prōcrāstinō (to procrastinate), from prō (for, before) and crāstinus (of tomorrow), from crās (tomorrow) [source]

Words from the same roots include craje [ˈkraj(ə)] (tomorrow) in Neapolitan, cras [kras] (tomorrow) in Sardinian, and the obsolete English word crastin (the day after, the morrow) [source].

An antonym of procrastination is precrastination (the completion of a task too quickly or too early for the optimal outcome; the compulsion to act in this way) [source].

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, as I am, you might even perendinate (to procrastinate for a long time, especially two days), from Latin perendinare (to defer until the day after tomorrow) [source].

Incidentally, while procrastination is often seen as negative habit, it can also help you to prioritise aspects of your life that bring joy, according to an article in MedicalNewsToday.

So, procrastinate now! Or maybe later.

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 blog.

Omniglot News (07/01/24)

By Simon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

By Simon

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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.

The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com

Omniglot News (31/12/23)

By Simon

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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

By Simon

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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.

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.