Tag: etymology

Adventures in Etymology – Wending One’s Way

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we wend our way through the origins of the word wend.

Trudging along

Wend [wɛnd] means to direct (one’s way or course), to pursue one’s way, or to proceed upon some course or way, and used to mean to turn, to change, to adapt, to veer, to pass away, to disappear, to depart or to vanish.

It usually appears in phrases like ‘to wend one’s way’, for example, We wended our weary way westward. The modern past tense form of wend is wended, however it used to be went, which became the past tense of the verb to go.

Wend comes from Middle English wenden (to walk, to travel, to move, to leave, to sail), from Old English wendan (to turn, change, translate, go, depart, happen), from Proto-West Germanic *wandijan (to turn), from Proto-Germanic *wandijaną (to turn), from *windaną (to wind, wrap) from PIE *wendʰ- (to wind, turn) [source].

Words from the same roots include wandern (to hike, migrate, wander) in German, vende (to invite, call, welcome) in Danish, wędrować (to wander, roam) in Polish, vanne (hoop, band, rim) in Finnish, and guantlet, wand, to wander, to wind and possibly and vandal in English [source].

The word vandal (a person who needlessly destroys, defaces, or damages things, especially other people’s property), comes from the Vandals, a group of Germanic peoples who are known for sacking Rome in 455 AD/CE [source].

Their name comes from Proto-Germanic *wandilaz (to wander, a Vandal), from *wandōną (to wander), from PIE *wendʰ- (to wind, turn) [source]. Alternatively, Vandal may come from PIE *wanđ- (water), which is also the root of Old English name for the Mediterranean Sea: Wendelsǣ (“Vandal sea”) [source].

Andalusia, a region in southern Spain, might also get it’s name from the Vandals. It comes from Medieval Latin Andalusia, from Arabic الأندلس [al.ʔan.da.lus], possibly from Vulgar Latin *Vandalicia (“land of the Vandals”) or from Vandalic *Wandalitia / *Vandalitia (“land of the Vandals”) [source].

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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 – Gracefully Pleasing

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the gratefully pleasing roots of the word grace.

Graceful...

As a noun grace [ɡɹeɪs] can mean:

  • Charming, pleasing qualities.
  • A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
  • Elegant movement; elegance of movement; balance or poise.
  • Favor, sanction or beneficence.

As a verb to grace can mean:

  • To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
  • To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
  • To supply with heavenly grace.

It comes from Middle English grace [ˈɡraː(t)sə] (the grace of God, luck, destiny, niceness, goodwill), from Old French grace (grace, favour, elegance), from Latin grātia (grace, thankfulness, thanks, influnce), from grātus (pleasing, dear, grateful), from Proto-Italic *gʷrātos (grateful, thankful) from PIE *gʷr̥H-tó-s (praised), from *gʷerH- (to praise, elevate) [source].

Words from the same roots include grazie (thank you) in Italian, grish (to invite, call, welcome) in Albanian, barn (opinion, view, judgement) in Welsh, bràth (judgement, destruction) in Scottish Gaelic, and agreement, bard, congratulate, grateful, gratitude and gratuity in English [source].

Incidentally, there were several other words for grace in Middle English, which included:

  • held(e) [ˈheːld(ə)] = favour, grace, good will, duty, which is related to the Dutch word houden (to keep, care for, hold, love, like), and hold in Modern English [source].
  • este [ˈɛːst(ə)] = grace, favour, pleasure, fun, delicacy, which is related to the Icelandic word ást (love) [source].
  • ore [ˈɔ̝ːr(ə)] (honour, respect, grace, favour, respite), which is related to the German word Ehre (honour, credit) [source].

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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 – Beaming Trees

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we discover what links the word beam with words for tree.

Puivert halle

Meanings of beam [ˈbiːm] include any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use; one of the transverse members of a ship’s frame on which the decks are laid; a ray or collection of approximately parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body.

It comes from Middle English be(e)m [bɛ̝ːm] (beam, pole, antler, tree), from Old English bēam [bæɑːm] (tree, beam, gallows), from Proto-West Germanic *baum (tree, beam), from Proto-Germanic *bagmaz (tree, beam), possibly from PIE *bʰuH- (to become, grow, appear) [source].

Words from the same Proto-Germanic roots include Baum (tree, boom) and beamen (to beam, teleport, project) in German (borrowed from English, popularised by Star Trek), bom (bar, barrier, beam) in Danish, boom (tree, beam, mast) in Dutch, puomi (boom, barrier, pole) in Finnish, boom in English [source].

Incidentally, in Middle English there were several words for tree, including tre (tree, plants, wood), bem (beam, a set of scales, antler, tree) and arbre (tree). The first two come from Old English and Proto-Germanic, while arbre comes from Old French arbre (tree).

Related words in English include arboretum (a place where many varieties of tree are grown for research, educational, and ornamental purposes), arboreal (tree-like, relating to trees) [source].

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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 – Feeble Foibles

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we discover what links the words feeble and foible with bleating and bells.

Feeble Foibles

Feeble [ˈfiːbəl] means deficient in physical strength; lacking force, vigour or effectiveness in action or expression, or faint.

It comes from Middle English feble [ˈfeːbəl / ˈfeːblə] (feeble, weak, insidious), from Anglo-Norman feble (weak, feeble), from Latin flēbilis (lamentable, doleful), from fleō (to weep, cry, lament), ultimately from PIE *bʰleh₁- (to bleat, cry), from *bʰel- (to sound, speak, roar, bark) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include блеять (blejat’ – to bleat) in Russian, blaten (to bleat, to speak pointlessly) in Dutch, bjalla (bell, to be noisy, to call) in Icelandic, and bell, bleat and blatant in English [source].

Foible [ˈfɔɪbəl] means a quirk, idiosyncrasy, frailty or mannerism; an unusual habit that is slightly strange or silly, or a weakness or failing of character.

It comes from Early Modern French foible (feeble, weak), from Old French feble / foible (weak, feeble), from Latin flēbilis (lamentable, doleful), and so on – the same root as feeble [source].

Words from the same Latin roots include feble (weak, feeble) in Catalan, flébil (tearful, fragile) in Portuguese, fäbless (penchant, fondness) in Swedish, and Faible (soft spot, weakness, craze) in German [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.

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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 – Yawning Hiatus

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we discover what links the word hiatus with yawning.

Pause descending Inwood Hill. Chucho yawns.

A hiatus [haɪˈeɪtəs / hɐˈjaː.t̪ʊs] is a gap in a series, making it incomplete; an interruption, break, pause or absence; a temporary break from work, especially one which is unexpected, and various other things.

It comes from Latin hiātus (a hiatus, opening, gap, aperture, cleft, longing, desire), from hiō (to yawn, gape, pause, be amazed), from Proto-Italic *hiāō, from PIE *ǵʰeh₂- (to yawn, gape) [source].

Words from the same roots include zijati (to stare, gape, yawn) in Slovenian, ganar (to gain, earn, win) in Spanish, a căsca (to yawn, gape) in Romanian, gína (to gape) in Icelandic, and gain, gap, gape, gum and yawn in English [source].

The word chaos possibly also comes from the same PIE root. It was borrowed from Ancient Greek χάος (khắos – chaos, the primordial state of existence, space, air, abyss, chasm, infinite darkness), and is probably related to words like *χάϝος (kháwos – hole, empty space, yawning opening) and χάσκω (kháskō – to gape, yawn) [source].

The word gas also shares the same roots. It was coined by Dutch Chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont in 1648, and was derived from Ancient Greek χάος (khắos – chaos, etc). It was possibly also inspired by the Dutch word geest (ghost, spirit, mind), which is related to the English word ghost [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.

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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 – Woven Waves

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we unravel the woven origins of the word wave.

Tide's Coming In

As verb, to wave [wɛjv / weɪv] can mean to move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely; to move one’s hand back and forth in greeting or departure; to call attention to by a waving motion, or to have an undulating or wavy form.

It comes from Middle English waven [ˈwaːvən] (to shake, swing, go away, waver, wave), from Old English wafian [ˈwɑ.vi.ɑn] (to wave), from Proto-West Germanic *wabbjan (to cause to weave, wrap, entangle), from Proto-Germanic *wabjaną (to cause to weave, wrap, entangle), from *webaną (to weave), from PIE *webʰ- (to weave, braid) [source].

Words from the same roots include wasp, waver, weave, web and weft (the horizontal threads that are interlaced through the warp in a woven fabric) in English, weben (to weave, intertwine) in German, väv (weave, fabric, web) in Swedish, guêpe (wasp) in French, and vespa (wasp) in Italian [source].

A wave is a moving disturbance in the level of a body of liquid; an undulation, a moving disturbance in the energy level of a field, and so on.

It comes from partially from the same roots as the verb to wave, and also from Middle English wawe [wau̯] (a wave), from Old English wǣġ [wæːj] (wave, water), from Proto-West Germanic *wāg (wave), from Proto-Germanic *wēgaz (wave, sea), from PIE *weǵʰ- (to bring, transport) [source].

Words from the same roots include vector, vehicle, wagon, way, wedge and weight in English, weg (way, road, manner) in Dutch, veslo (oar) in Czech, gwaith (work, labour, act) in Welsh, and féan (wagon, cart) in Irish [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.

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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 – Influence

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the origins of the word influence.

Influence

Influence [ˈɪn.flu.əns] can refer to the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; an action exerted by a person or thing on another to cause change, or a person or thing exerting such power or action.

In astrology, influence is apparently an element believed to determine someone’s character or individual tendencies, caused by the position of the stars and planets at the time of one’s birth, and it used to mean the action of flowing in or an influx.

As a verb to influence can mean to have an effect on by using gentle or subtle action; to modify, bias or sway; to persuade or induce; to exert or make use of one’s influence, and it used to mean to cause to flow in, to infuse or to instill.

It comes from Middle English influence / influens (control, power, influence, flowing, influx), from Old French influence (inundation, flooding, influence, especially viewed as a mystical force affecting one’s fate), from Medieval Latin īnfluentia (influence), from Latin īnfluēns (flowing into), from īnfluō (to flow into, stream, rush, throng), from in (in, within) and fluō (to flow, stream, pour) [source].

Words from the same Latin roots include influx and influenza in English, influencia (influence, clout, leverage) and influjo (influx, sway, influence) in Spanish, influenza (influence, influenza) in Italian, influer (to influence) in French [source].

Other words with similarly fluid roots (fluō in Latin) include fluid, flume, flux, affluent, effluent, confluent, superfluous in English, confluir (to converge) in Catalan, and fiume (river) in Italian [source].

Incidentally, this is the 200th episode of the Adventures in Etymology podcast. You can find links to all previous episodes on the Adventures in Etymology page of this blog.

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.




Adventures in Etymology – Index

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we point out the origins of the word index.

Index

An index [ˈɪndɛks] is an alphabetical listing of items and their location; the index finger; a movable finger on a gauge, scale, etc (other meanings are available).

As a verb to index can mean to arrange an index for something; to inventory; to measure by an associated value, and other things.

It comes from Latin index (a pointer, index finger, index, list, sign, informer, spy), from in (in, at, on) and dicō (to say, talk, speak, declare, tell) [source].

Dicō comes from Proto-Italic *deikō (to show, indicate, say, tell), from Proto-Indo-European *déyḱeti (to be pointing out), from *deyḱ-. (to point out, to show) [source].

English words from the same roots include dictate, diction, dictionary, digit, edict, indicate, judge, preach, predict, teach, toe, token, verdict and vindicate [source].

Words in other languages from the same roots include decir (to say, tell) in Spanish, vingar (to avenge, revenge, thrive) in Portuguese, দিক (dik – direction, side, end) in Bengali, Zeh (toe) in German, teikn (omen, sign, icon) in Icelandic, and mallacht (curse) in Irish [source].

Incidentally, if there is more than one index, do you talk about indexes or indices?

I prefer indexes, but think you could use indexen (similar to ox / oxen, child / children, and aurochs / aurochsen) instead. The -en plural ending used to be a more common and used for words such as cheesen (cheeses), kneen (knees), eyen (eyes), foxen (foxes) and shoon (shoes) [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.

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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 – Awkwardly Odd

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the odd origins of the word awkward.

Awkward!

Meanings of awkward [ˈɔːk.wəd / ˈɔk.wɚd] include: lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments; not easily managed or effected; embarrassing; lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction; difficult to handle.

It comes from awk, an obsolete word meaning odd, out of order, perverse, wrong or clumsy, and -ward, a suffix denoting course or direction to, motion or tendency toward, and so on [source].

Awk comes from Middle English auk(e) (backhanded, perverse, wrong, strange, marvelous), from Old Norse ǫfugr (turned the wrong way, unkind, harsh), from Proto-Germanic *abuhaz (inverted, wicked, bad), from PIE *h₂époh₃kʷos, from *h₂epó (off, away) and *h₃ekʷ- (to see, eye) [source].

Words from the same roots include öfugur (reversed, backwards, wrong) in Icelandic, avig (backwards, inside out) in Swedish, opak (opposite) in Czech, and опак (opak – wicked, nefarious, dastardly) in Macedonian [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 – A Fountain of Fonts

By Simon

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

font

A font [fɒnt / fɑnt] is a receptacle in a church for holy water, especially one used in baptism, or a receptacle for lamp oil in a lamp.

It comes from Old English fant/font (font, fountain, spring), from Latin fōns (spring, well, fountain), from Proto-Italic *fontis (spring, well), possibly from PIE dʰenh₂- (to flow, set in motion) [source].

Words from the same roots include fonte (source, spring) in Italian, fuente (spring, fountain, source, dish, bowl, font) in Spanish, fontaine (fountain, cistern, tank) in French, ffynnon (spring, fountain, well) in Welsh, and fountain English [source].

Typefaces Galore

A font is also a set of glyphs of unified design, belonging to one typeface, style, and weight. Usually representing the letters of an alphabet and its supplementary characters. Or in other words, a typeface.

It comes from Middle French fonte (the act/process of founding, melting), which comes from Old French fondre (to melt), from Latin fundō (to pour out, melt, cast, found), Proto-Italic *hundō (to pour out), from PIE *ǵʰewd- (to pour) [source].

Words from the same roots include fondre (to melt, smelt) in French, hundir (to sink, engulf, ruin) in Spanish, gieten (to pour, mould, cast) in Dutch, ffynnu (to prosper) in Welsh, and found, fund, fuse English [source].

Rick Springs - Water from the Rocks

A font can also be a source of wellspring. This possibly comes from fount (a spring), which is a clipping of fountain [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.